For the first time, patients with brain tumors can undergo a new process that will eliminate removing them with incisions to the face or skull.
On January 4, 2011, the University Medical Center in Tucson, AZ announced that now skull-based brain tumors can be removed through the nose and sinuses. Previously, neurosurgeons had to perform the operation by splitting the facial skeleton or peeling back the scalp and removing the skull on the forehead.
The new “through the nose” approach avoids the need for any facial incisions or craniotomy. This decreases complications and unsightly incisions, and leads to a faster recovery.
The Procedure
The procedure entails inserting the endoscope through the nose and sinuses to directly reach the tumor. One of the results is that there is no manipulation of the brain or important nerves. The brightly lit endoscope¸ which has a tiny camera, sends real-time video images to a large screen. The specially designed surgical tools are inserted next to the endoscope that dissects and removes the tumor.
Meanwhile the surgeons have an excellent view of the surrounding tissue and can work to preserve important nerves and arteries that control vision. The recovery time is reduced from weeks or month to days.
The Team
The team at the University Medical Center consists of:
- · Alexander Chu, MD, Chief of the Division of Otolaryngology -- Head of Head and Neck Surgery
- · Michael Lemole, MD, Chief of the UA Division of Neurosurgery
- · Stephen Goldstein, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery
Also involved are members of a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists.
Drs. Chiu and Lemole have established the Center for Sinonasal and Skull Tumors in the Department of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine -- the only center of its kind in the Southwest. The Center combines two divisions within the UA Department of Surgery. This provides the collaborative approach to care needed for patients with complex diseases or disorders of the head and neck.
According to Dr. Lemole, “The endoscope offers us superior visualization over other techniques such as an operating microscope. It allows us to 'see around corners’ to make sure no tumor remains and critical structures are intact ... By working with multiple specialties in neurosurgery, otolaryngology and oculoplastic surgery, we can reach virtually all areas of the brain and skull base using advanced skull base techniques."
UMC is a private, non-profit hospital located at the Arizona Health Sciences Center, adjacent to The University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. AHSC includes the colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Public Health as well as the physicians from University Physicians Healthcare. These affiliations enable UMC to take a leadership role in offering the latest treatments as well as routine medical care and wellness.
Join the Conversation