Neuroendoscope-assisted minimally invasive microsurgery for clipping intracranial aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intracranial aneurysm treatment with the help of the neuroendoscope. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients were treated from February 2000 to November 2003 for intracranial aneurysms of which 89 lesions were clipped with the help of neuroendoscope, including 82 anterior circulation aneurysms (in 81 cases) and 7 posterior circulation aneurysms. The diameters of the aneurysms were between 5 and 40 mm with mean value of 12.5 mm. In the Hunt and Hess preoperative classification, 10 cases were grade 0, 37 cases were grade I, 36 cases were grade II, and 5 cases were grade III. RESULTS: Postoperative complications were observed in 7 cases (7.9%), including hemiplegia in 5 cases (1 case with combination of aphasia), pseudomembranous enteritis in 1 case and optic blur in 1 case. We did not observe any neuroendoscope-related complications and had no postoperative deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The operative efficacy in aneurysm neurosurgery can be improved by the use of the neuroendoscope, especially for minimally invasive microsurgery operation. The neurosurgeon should pay more attention to the training of the endoscope procedure and master more knowledge about endoscopic anatomy.