Intraventricular endoscopy

Ventricular Endoscopy is a minimally invasive technique that is used to:

• Treat cases of hydrocephalus
• Remove arachnoid cysts
• Perform biopsies
• Remove tumors adjacent to or from the brain ventricles
• Rescue intraventricular catheters
• Implant intratumoral or intraventricular reservoirs for administration of analgesics or chemotherapy.
• Among others.

What is ventricular endoscopy?

Although the concept of endoscopy has existed for centuries, Neuroendoscopy or Ventricular Endoscopy did not emerge until the 20th century.

Its appearance was the result of numerous improvements in optical technology, lighting sources and instrumentation, since this type of intervention is carried out through a small hole in the skull where an optical camera is inserted that allows the Ventricular System to be visualized. Cerebral (brain cavities in which circulates in cerebrospinal fluid) and manipulate the instruments.

What is recovery like from a ventricular endoscopy?

Since the incision and manipulation of brain tissue is minimal, the skin scar is 3 cm maximum, and it heals fairly quickly.

Generally, post-surgical surveillance begins in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hospitalization time will depend on the problem treated, although it is usually less than three days.

That is, through a small hole I perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures within the Ventricular System. In that sense, for me, the main advantage of Ventricular Endoscopy is that it allows reaching the point of medical interest with minimal manipulation of brain tissue.

For this reason, Neuroendoscopy occupies a very important place in the modern neurosurgical environment since it considerably reduces the patient’s intracerebral trauma during the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial injuries.