Endoscopic versus open procedures in the third ventricle tumors surgery

Abstract

The third ventricular region is one of the most challenging areas of the brain for surgery because of the complex anatomy and physiology of the surrounding hypothalamus, infundibulum, optic nerves, limbic system, and nearby vasculature. It is just this challenge that has excited the imagination of both neurologists and neuroscientists to understand the myriad of lesions that arise in this region and their diverse set of clinical presentations. The most common type of third ventricle tumors is benign or low grade lesion and that makes the symptoms delay to be found and appear after the tumor grows and reaches several centimeters in size and the most common symptoms include headache, memory loss, cognitive changes and gait disorders. The approaches that are available to be done in these tumors surgeries are multiple; all are used to minimize the disturbance of normal anatomy whether the surgery will be done endoscopically or by open procedure. Of course before the surgeon embarks on an approach, he should be aware of important two things; ventricular anatomy and how to catch the