World Neurosurg
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Case Reports
Combined intra- and extra-endoscopic techniques for aggressive resection of subependymal giant cell astrocytomas.
Although neuroendoscope is widely used, endoscopic removal of intraventricular solid tumors has rarely been reported. Most reported procedures were performed with special endoscopic instruments through the endoscope's working channel--intra-axial endoscopic procedures. We report two cases of combined intra-/extra-axial endoscopic procedures--intraventricular solid tumor resection for subependymal giant cell astrocytoma. ⋯ In the present report endoscopic minimally invasive neurosurgery (EMIN) was defined as procedures in which the endoscope was used independently as the only optical device, for both illumination and visualization. Depending on the relationship between surgical instruments and the endoscope, EMIN was classified as intra-axial and extra-axial procedures. EMIN is a completive, safe procedure for intraventricular subependymal giant cell astrocytoma.