Types of Procedure Performed
The most common form of minimally invasive neurosurgery performed is the intracranial surgery. In this type of procedure, the surgeon makes a small opening on the skull and inserts the endoscope. This procedure helps to minimize the need for making a large incision in the skull that leaves a huge scar.
Endonasal surgery is also another one that uses this technique. The surgeon will insert an endoscope by drilling a hole into the brain through the nasal openings. As a result, there is visible scarring on the patient. This procedure allows the doctor to operate on different parts of the brain that would have required extensive incisions. For instance, the surgeon is able to operate on the base of the skull and the top of the spine without making visible scars.
Spinal surgery is also performed on a regular basis using this type of procedure. Cameras attached to the end of the endoscope help the surgeon to see what exactly needs to be cut or removed in the spinal column. A number of procedures have benefited from this type of equipment. For instance, lumber discectomy.
Major Benefits of Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery
One obvious benefit is that the operation leaves less scarring. In most cases, the surgeon requires making an incision that is less than one inch. Another benefit of this type of procedure is fewer complications. This is because the doctor can find better workarounds. Thus, he/she does not require cutting through a lot of tissue.
The other major benefit is the reduced risk of death. This type of procedure reduces the risk of death to almost zero. For one, the doctor does not have to cut through any major blood vessels. Bleeding out is a common cause of death in most operations.