A craniotomy is a surgical procedure in which an opening is made in the skull in order to gain access to the brain, nerves, and arteries within the skull, as well as any intracranial abnormality such as a tumor, aneurysm or hematoma. The opening required will vary in size, shape and location, depending on the treatment needed.
Microsurgery refers to surgery performed with the use of an operating microscope and specialized microinstruments.
Stereotactic technique employs computerized image guidance systems to precisely localize structural elements within the skull and brain providing a three dimensional image of anatomical structures that are not visible, either due to size or location.
Combining microsurgery techniques and stereotactic image guidance systems makes it possible to precisely position the craniotomy opening, providing the safest most direct route to the area of interest, while limiting the size of the scalp incision and skull opening. These techniques also aid the surgeon in differentiating between distorted but normal anatomic structures and the abnormality being treated, for the safest least invasive treatment.