Dr Orribo, Neurosurgeon associated with this platform, informs us of the neuro-navigation technique within Neurosurgery:
- The neuro-navigator helps to achieve better vision during surgery.
These types of interventions are often related to brain surgery, derived from the need to remove a tumour in the area.
How is the functionality of Neuro-navigation?
We have already indicated that this technology brings benefits when it comes to vision during the removal of a tumour in the brain’s area. In addition, it offers the practitioner to observe and merge images of the moment of diagnosis with those he is currently seeing. Allowing the correlation of diagnostic images with the real ones at any given time and offering the neurosurgeon to avoid memorizing the MRI. Something that before the neuro-navigator was; the routine of every neurosurgeon who had to do this kind of neurological intervention.
In practice, a pointer points to the areas of the brain or column of interest, and, thanks to the optical system, that, captures the location of this pointer, it presents the magnetic resonance imaging in the exact location of the pointer and thus obtains with millimetre accuracy, where the neurosurgeon is live and correlates with the diagnostic MRI.
What does the neuro-navigator consist of?
In the surgery room the neuro-navigator consists of a computer and several screens that indicate in the resonance of the patient the exact location of the pointer with an error less than one-millimetre thanks to a system:
- Optical
- Electromagnetic.
What are the benefits that neuro-navigation provides to neurosurgery?
Apart from the obvious improvement in visualization during the surgery, which we have described above. After the removal of a tumour, with this technology, it is possible to do an ultrasound of the affected area and fuse it with the diagnostic MRI. This helps to observe the results and in turn confirm that there are no traces of the tumour in the area of the spine or brain.
- NOTE – Ultrasound neuro-navigation in situ updates patient’s information in real-time and allows to evaluate the outcome of the intervention.
So, we can conclude that the main advantages that the neuro-navigator provides are that it allows obtaining an accurate view of the affected area and therefore, to be able to plan the complete intervention even before incision.
What should we know about the nervous system?
To better understand neurosurgery and its techniques we indicate through the experience of Dr Orribo, several useful points to remember about the nervous system.
The central nervous system is composed of all those structures that are responsible for regulating the functioning of the body, i.e.:
- the brain (brain, brain stem and cerebellum) and
- spinal cord.
On the other hand, there is the peripheral nervous system that is formed by:
- cranial nerves and
- peripheral.
Finally, neurosurgery also treats the autonomic nervous system, i.e.:
- neurons or groups of neurons that make up the brainstem to the spinal cord and
- those who are out of the spinal cord.
This system takes care of the proper functioning of the heart, breathing…
In what cases can the neuro-navigator be used?
Currently, this visualization system is used in the extraction of all kinds of brain tumours such as those located:
- at the base of the skull
- the spine and
- to place trans pedicular screws.
To be able to know more details about neurosurgery through Dr Orribo, a reference on the islands in this speciality within surgery, access our page platform on medical specialities, Professionals, where you can find out about their training or make an appointment, if necessary.
