Current status of neuroendoscopic surgery in Japan and discussion on the training system

Objectives The objectives of this study was to investigate the current status of neuroendoscopic surgery in Japan and to discuss the issue disclosed by the survey. Methods We delivered questionnaires about neuroendoscopic surgeries to 1,237 of Japan Neurosurgical Society certified training institutions. Results Of these institutions, 592 (47.9%) returned completed questionnaires, and 316 (53.4%) among them experienced neuroendoscopic surgeries in the past. Two hundred seventy-six institutions had at least one procedure in the year 2003, but 208 (75.5%) had only one to ten procedures per year. Total number of procedures was 2,796, and trans-sphenoidal surgery was performed most frequently (705). Aneurysmal neck clipping (637) was second, and the third place was third ventriculostomy (ETV, 357). ETV was performed at 126 institutions, and 112 (88.9%) of them had only five cases or under per year. Discussion Neuroendoscopic surgeries are performed at many institutions, but little experience per institution was reported. We refer to the on-going project of the Japanese Society for Neuroendoscopy on establishing training system of neuroendoscopic surgeries. Presented at the Third World Conference of the International Study Group on Neuroendoscopy (ISGNE), Marburg, Germany, 15–18 June 2005.