Spoon retractors for soft mass

Minimizing Retraction by Pia-Arachnoidal 10-0 Sutures in Intrasulcal Dissection

BACKGROUND

In contemporary microneurosurgery reducing retraction-induced injury to the brain is essential. Self-retaining retractor systems are commonly used to improve visualization and decrease the repetitive microtrauma, but sometimes self-retaining retractor systems can be cumbersome and the force applied can cause focal ischemia or contusions. This may increase the morbidity and mortality. Here, we describe a technique of retraction using 10-0 sutures in the arachnoid.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the imaging and clinical results in patients where 10-0 suture retraction was used to aid the surgical procedure.

METHODS

Adjacent cortex was retracted by placing 10-0 nylon suture in the arachnoid of the bank or banks of the sulcus. The suture was secured to the adjacent dural edge by using aneurysm clips, allowing for easy adjustability of the amount of retraction. We retrospectively analyzed the neurological outcome, signal changes in postoperative imaging, and ease of performing surgery in 31 patients with various intracranial lesions including intracranial aneurysms, intra- and extra-axial tumors, and cerebral ischemia requiring arterial bypass.

RESULTS

Clinically, there were no injuries, vascular events, or neurological deficits referable to the relevant cortex. Postoperative imaging did not show changes consistent with ischemia or contusion due to the retraction. This technique improved the visualization and illumination of the surgical field in all cases.

CONCLUSION

Retraction of the arachnoid can be used safely in cases where trans-sulcal dissection is required. This technique may improve initial visualization and decrease the need for dynamic or static retraction.

The history of brain retractors throughout the development of neurological surgery

Early neurosurgical procedures dealt mainly with treatment of head trauma, especially skull fractures. Since the early medical writings by Hippocrates, a great deal of respect was given to the dura mater, and many other surgeons warned against violating the dura. It was not until the 19th century that neurosurgeons started venturing beneath the dura, deep into the brain parenchyma. With this advancement, brain retraction became an essential component of intracranial surgery. Over the years brain retractors have been created pragmatically to provide better visualization, increased articulations and degrees of freedom, greater stability, less brain retraction injury, and less user effort. Brain retractors have evolved from simple handheld retractors to intricate brain-retraction systems with hand-rest stabilizers. This paper will focus on the history of brain retractors, the different types of retractors, and the progression from one form to another.

Customized orbital floor soft tissue retractor

For the correction of blow out fractures of the orbit, the retraction of orbital floor contents are necessary. We are here in presenting a customized orbital floor soft tissue retractor to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional Rows orbital floor retractor.

Stitch retractor--simple and easy technique to retract brain

BACKGROUND

Self-retaining brain retractors are commonly used during intracranial surgery, and they are indispensable during microneurosurgery. There is a common severe complication due to the use of self-held retractors, that is, formation of a hemorrhagic infarct area in the brain region exposed to traction. All the more, present retractor systems are fixed and rigid and obstruct surgeons during surgery. Sometimes these retractors create glare in the microscope that distracts the surgeon. We hereby propose a simple and easy method of retraction of brain especially the temporal lobe using the transsylvian approach and vermis using the transvermian approach.

METHODS

This is retrospective analysis of 47 patients in 4 years in which we have used our stitch retractor. We have analyzed their outcome, postoperative scan, and ease of performing surgery.

RESULTS

In 47 patients, there was only 1 postoperative contusion, and the longest period it was kept for is 6 hours. The other advantage was that it does not obstruct in any way while doing dissections and surgery. There was no glare while operating under a microscope.

CONCLUSION

We hereby propose a simple and easy method of retraction of brain especially the temporal lobe using the transsylvian approach and vermis using the transvermian approach. It is minimally traumatic, reducing insult to the brain. It allows the surgeon to dissect without any obstruction and glare in the way. The biggest advantage of the present stitch retractor is that it is very cheap and simple to use.

Surgical experience with resection en bloc of intramedullary astrocytomas and ependymomas in the cervical and cervicothoracic region

We performed 8 operations on 7 patients with benign intramedullary astrocytomas and ependymomas in the cervical and cervicothoracic region. All patients initially underwent gross total tumor resection en bloc. One patient with an astrocytoma showed tumor recurrence postoperatively, and underwent a second operation resulting in subtotal removal. The follow-up after the initial surgery ranged from 2.7 to 19.7 years (mean 8.5 years). Symptomatic improvement was observed in 6 patients after the initial operation. Two patients showed postoperative neurological deterioration, one with an ependymoma and the other after the second operation. No operative complications or deaths, nor postoperative respiratory dysfunction occurred. Benign intramedullary astrocytomas and ependymomas of the cervical and cervicothoracic spinal cord can be treated by radical resection en bloc with a low morbidity and recurrence, as well as acceptable outcomes. We describe here the surgical technique for en bloc tumor removal.

Gross total surgical removal of malignant glioma from the medulla oblongata: report of two adult cases with reference to surgical anatomy

Surgery was performed on the medulla oblongata of two adult patients with malignant glioma. Gross total resection of the tumors, located laterally or medially in the upper half of the medulla respectively, was achieved. The patient with the medially located tumor experienced significant postoperative neurological deterioration including sleep apnea. The other patient with the laterally located tumor showed symptomatic improvement without respiratory complications. The patient with an anaplastic astrocytoma survived approximately 4 years and the patient with a glioblastoma multiforme approximately 2 years. Although the upper half of the medulla is more critical than the lower half, a lateral approach to the upper half of the medulla appears to be relatively safer than a medial approach. Some cases of focal malignant gliomas in the medulla may be amenable to gross total resection in order to achieve improved outcome. Surgery can be undertaken when a tumor is unilateral and its margin appears relatively clear on magnetic resonance images.

En Bloc removal of soft tumors within the brain parenchyma using spoon retractors: traction-dissection method. Technical note

BACKGROUND

En bloc removal of soft tumors within the brain parenchyma has rarely been performed. We describe a safe technique for en bloc removal of the tumors using a spoon retractor, which enables retraction while holding the soft mass upward.

METHODS

Dissection of a tumor mass is performed under traction of the surrounding brain tissue by retracting the mass using a spoon retractor. A dissection plane is first established in a relatively safe area, not opposite the critical area, after a corticotomy. The dissection plane is then extended toward the critical side. After circumferential dissection of the tumor mass, the dissection is continued spirally into deeper regions by retracting and holding the mass upward using a spoon retractor. In this way, the tumor is removed en bloc.

CONCLUSIONS

The traction-dissection method using spoon retractors is useful in performing en bloc removal of soft tumors within the brain parenchyma less invasively and provides an appropriate operating field even at depth, reducing intraoperative bleeding, and in vascular rich tumors, possibly preventing tumor seeding in cases of malignant tumors.