A surgical technique in which surgeons use three dimensional co-ordinates to locate specific areas of the brain. Pallidotomy, thalamotomy and sub-thalamic stimulation use stereotactic techniques to locate the globus pallidus and thalamus and sub-thalamic nucleus respectively.
brain surgery performed with the head held in an immoveable position by a special positioning device.
Surgical technique whereby the exact target (i.e., tumor, lesion, AVM) is calculated three-dimensionally utilizing CT or MRI and computer. From stereo (3D) and tactic (touch).
A sophisticated, computer-based modality where a metal frame is attached to the patient's skull to provide a fixed reference point. This point, combined with a three-dimensional image of the brain provided by a computer and MRI scanning, allows for precise mapping and visualization of the tumor and surrounding tissue. Precise navigation to the tumor site and optimal tumor resection is possible using a variety of surgical devices attached to the frame. Frameless Stereotactic Surgery: provides the same precision without the need to attach a heavy metal frame to the patient's skull. Frameless systems substitute a reference system created by "wands," plastic guides, or infrared markers.
Surgical technique that involves placing a small electrode in an area of the brain to destroy a tiny amount of brain tissue.
Stereotactic surgery or stereotaxy is a minimally-invasive form of surgical intervention which makes use of a three-dimensional coordinates system to locate small targets inside the body and to perform on them some action such as ablation (removal), biopsy, lesion, injection, stimulation, implantation, radiosurgery etc. "Stereotactic" in Greek (another accepted spelling is "stereotaxic") means movement in space.