Residency  >  Divisions/Programs  >  Division of Neuro-Oncologic Neurosurgery and Stereotactic Radiosurgery  >  Neuro-Oncologic Neurosurgery

Neuro-oncologic neurosurgery involves the surgical treatment of brain tumors, and since the Division was established, over 500 patients have undergone surgical procedures for their tumors. All surgical techniques developed in the Division are designed to maximize therapeutic benefit while remaining safe and when possible are designed to be minimally invasive. Our goal is cure, and when cure is not possible, maximization of both length of life and quality of life remain our principle focus. Among surgical techniques which have been developed within the Division, the combined use of intraoperative MRI-based image guidance with the concomitant use of motor and/or speech corticography has provided patients with safe and effective means of removing tumors near speech or motor function without harming these vital brain areas. We have assembled a specialized team for this multidisciplinary approach to tumor resection which includes a close collaboration with Dr. Michael Sperling, an experienced neurologist with specialty training in neurophysiology who is nationally recognized as an epileptologist.

In addition to refining MRI-based image-guidance techniques, the Division is currently establishing a fluorescence image guidance technique adopted from Munich, Germany to augment glioma resections. For tumors deep within the brain, surgical techniques in the Division which are safe and non-invasive include neuroendoscopy for either biopsy or complete removal of brain tumors such as colloid cysts of the third ventricle, and stereotactic brain biopsy for biopsy of brain tumors otherwise inaccessible for resection by microneurosurgical technique or neuroendoscopy.

We practice a no-shave technique which has proven to be safe, free of infection, and cosmetically more pleasing to patients undergoing craniotomy for tumor resection.

Cranial skin incisions are actually closed without suture and instead with Dermabond® which resorbs over a week to 10 days thus obviating the need for suture removal in the post-operative period. We have also pioneered the use of bio-absorbable plating systems now having plated over 130 patients with polylactide materials which promote rigid bone fixation and native bone re-mineralization while itself slowly metabolzing harmlessly to carbon dioxide and water.