Neuronavigation

Neuronavigation

Neuro-navigation refers to the multitude of technologies that are employed to navigate within the skull and the vertebral column while performing a surgery. From the historic perspective, this is an advancement of stereotactic surgery which was popular in the 1940s in Germany and France. The technology is very similar to the modern day GPS; but here, it is a system which assists the surgeon to guide instruments within the skull.

How does it work?

It is a surgeon’s GPS. Initially, a diagnostic image of the patient’s anatomy is loaded into a computer. Using this, a 3D model of the anatomy is created. Before surgery, the surgeon also maps the patient’s anatomy to the 3D model using an image-guided probe. As the surgeon moves an instrument within the anatomy, its position is precisely plotted and this data is fed into a computer. The computer then superimposes the position of these instruments as they are, while at surgery, onto images of anatomy shown by the monitor. This enables the surgeon to see the exact position of the instrument and also the direction it is moving.

Benefits

This lets the surgeon have a proper view of things. He/she can accurately know where they are working on inside the patient’s body, that too all times during the surgery. This knowledge available to surgeons results in smaller incisions and hence the patient would spend less time in recovery and also is less prone to complications. Also, surgeons are able to navigate through the sensitive terrain of the brain and spinal cord and remove tumours without damaging healthy tissue. Neuronavigation lets surgeons realign bones at the right angles while performing orthopaedic surgery.

Sita Bhateja Specialty Hospital has recently added the capabilities of neuro navigation for brain and spine surgeries in their armamentarium. To know more about Neuronavigation, do get in touch at:www.sbshospital.com/get-in-touch