Advanced Techniques in Full Endoscopic Approaches for Cranial and Spinal Pathologies

TOPICAL COLLECTIONS

Guest Editors

Tugrul Cem Unal

Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery

Dr. Tugrul Cem Unal is currently working as a neurosurgery consultant and lecturer at Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, after receiving his medical and neurosurgical degree in the same institution. He completed the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) training courses and was appointed Fellow of the European Board of Neurological Surgery. He has been a clinical observer at Columbia University and Aix-Marseille University. His main interests are neurooncology, hydrocephalus treatment, trigeminal neuralgia, and neuroendoscopy with a focus on intraventricular tumor resection, endoscopic third ventriculostomy, and transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery. He is a member of the Turkish Neurosurgical Society and EANS.

Ilyas Dolas

Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Ilyas Dolas is currently working as a neurosurgery consultant and lecturer at Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, after receiving his medical and neurosurgical degree in the same institution. His main interests are degenerative spine diseases, spinal dysraphisms, spinal tumors, and craniocervical junction pathologies. His surgical expertise is in full endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery following his Riwospine fellowship with Dr. Sebastian Ruetten in St. Anna Hospital Herne and in Prima Vista Academy, Knittlingen, Germany. He is a member of Turkish Neurosurgical Society.

Collection Overview

In recent decades, endoscopic techniques have routinely been used in almost every field of neurosurgery as a result of advances in endoscopy systems. The use of full endoscopic uniportal approach differs from endoscopy assisted or multiportal approaches, and provides minimally invasive access, given that the surgical instruments are used from a single working channel inside the endoscope.

Full endoscopic approaches can be used for the removal of intraventricular tumors, providing minimally invasive access due to the use of a single working channel. Apart from tumor removal, endoscopic third ventriculostomy and endoscopic cystostomies offer a physiologic solution for treating hydrocephalus, ventricular or cisternal cysts.

With the recent developments in technology and increasing experience, it is now possible to effectively approach degenerative spine pathologies such as lumbar, thoracic, and cervical disc herniations, stenosis, as well as tethered cord, intradural extramedullary tumors in full endoscopic spine surgery.

This video collection aims to demonstrate the most recent techniques, latest assistive technologies, pearls, and pitfalls in full endoscopic approaches in neurosurgery.