Endoscopic needle biopsy of thalamic tumors: technical note.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Neuroendoscopic biopsy represents the procedure of choice for pure intraventricular lesions. Instead, in case of deep-seated paraventricular tumors, with intact ependyma, the advantage of neuroendoscopy over stereotactic biopsy is not so evident, because the lesion is not under direct vision; the tissue sample may be limited to more superficial ependymal layer, and bleeding may obscurate vision. Also, stereotactic biopsy may reserve additional problems for these lesions: inaccuracy caused by leak of cerebrospinal fluid and increased risk of severe hemorrhage due to damage of the ependymal vessels.

CASE REPORTS:

We report two cases of young children affected by thalamic tumors that were biopsied using a modification of a recently proposed technique: endoscopic visual control, neuronavigated needle biopsy.

CONCLUSION:

This technique may combine the accuracy of a stereotactic needle biopsy with the advantage of visual control on site of ependymal puncture and possibility of immediate bleeding control.

• Authors: Pietro Spennato, Claudio Ruggiero, Giuseppe Mirone, Alessia Imperato, Raffaele Stefano Parlato, Giuseppe Cinalli
• Journal: Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (Childs Nerv Syst) Vol. 36 Issue 11 Pg. 2835-2840 (11 2020) ISSN: 1433-0350 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 32430674 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Biopsy
• Biopsy, Needle
• Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms (surgery)
• Child, Preschool
• Humans
• Neuroendoscopy
• Retrospective Studies