2 Neurosurgical Instrumentation

Guilherme Henrique Weiler Ceccato, Jean G. de Oliveira, and Luis A. B. Borba

Abstract

Neurosurgical instrumentation is a field with which every member of the surgical team must be familiarized. This is even more important when considering skull base procedures, as working with deep approaches requires skillful handling of instruments. Neurosurgery significantly evolved in the last decades and aims to be as precise as possible. Nowadays the ability of image acquisition by the microscope allows the surgeon to accurately identify anatomical structures; and the instrument’s efficiency has also evolved. In order to perform high-quality neurosurgical procedures, it is mandatory to have appropriate knowledge of surgical instruments, especially microsurgical instruments. Complementary to an in-depth knowledge on how to operate, it is crucial to have advanced knowledge about with what instruments to operate. This chapter presents an overview of general microsurgery techniques and surgical instrumentation.

Key words

instrumentation - microsurgery - skull base - microscope - neuroendoscopy - bipolar coagulator - dissectors - needle holder - brain retractor - drill

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