Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsEdge :

2008 OCT 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- "The authors describe their experience with a technique for robotic implantation of depth electrodes in patients concurrently undergoing craniotomy and placement of subdural monitoring electrodes for the evaluation of intractable epilepsy (see also Epilepsy). Patients included in this study underwent evaluation in the Dartmouth Surgical Epilepsy Program and were recommended for invasive seizure monitoring with depth electrodes between 2006 and the present," scientists writing in the journal Neurosurgical Focus report.

"In all cases an image-guided robotic system was used during craniotomy for concurrent subdural grid electrode placement. A total of 7 electrodes were placed in 4 patients within the time period. Three of 4 patients had successful localization of seizure onset, and 2 underwent subsequent resection. Of the patients who underwent resection, 1 is now seizure free, and the second has only auras. There was 1 complication after subpial grid placement but no complications related to the depth electrodes," wrote W.J. Spire and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "Robotic image-guided placement of depth electrodes with concurrent craniotomy is feasible, and the technique is safe, accurate, and efficient."

Spire and colleagues published their study in Neurosurgical Focus (Robotic image-guided depth electrode implantation in the evaluation of medically intractable epilepsy. Neurosurgical Focus, 2008;25(3):E19).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting W.J. Spire, Dartmouth Hitchcock Med Center, Neurosurgery Sect, Dept. of Surgery, Division Neurosurgery, 1 Med Center Dr., Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.

The publisher of the journal Neurosurgical Focus can be contacted at: American Association Neurological Surgeons, 5550 Meadowbrook Drive, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008, USA.

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