Stereotaxy is a minimally invasive brain surgery using a 3D system that was created in 1908. It is used for injections, implantation, stimulation, and biopsies. Stereotactic surgery is used to operate on small tumors and reduce symptoms during palliative care.
Stereotaxy, also called stereotactic surgery, is a type of minimally invasive brain surgery that is performed using a three-dimensional system. The word stereotaxy comes from the Greek word stereotaxic, which means “solid ordering.” This system is particularly effective when it comes to operating on small parts of the body that are difficult to reach. Injections, implantation, stimulation, and biopsies are often performed using stereotaxic surgical procedures.
Although ostensibly a new surgical method, stereotaxy was actually created in 1908 by two British scientists. Sir Victor Horsley and Robert H. Clarke started using a Cartesian system on animals to understand some ailments. This three-dimensional system proved quite effective – in fact, it is still used today in many neuroscience laboratories – although it wasn’t until 1947 that the method was used on human subjects.
Originally, stereotaxic surgery was performed only on patients requiring brain surgery. With the help of computed tomography, an imaging method that creates two-dimensional X-ray images, surgeons have been able to perform delicate operations with skill and ease. Today, stereotaxy is a common procedure that is used for a variety of different reasons, although brain surgery remains the primary focus.
Stereotactic surgery works with the help of three important elements: a planning system, a device or instrument, and specific placement. Stereotaxic systems are computer-based systems that include cross sections of the human anatomy. With the help of specific coordinates, these systems are able to find and locate specific areas of the body that require surgery.
With the guidance of stereotaxic systems, surgeons are able to aim a cannula, electrode, or probe into a very small area. In addition to helping surgeons repair veins and insert medical instruments into very small spaces, stereotaxy is also used to operate on small tumors. Many different medical manufacturers design stereotaxy equipment. As this type of procedure becomes more prominent within the medical world, the demand for stereotaxic tools increases. Many tumors and brain injuries cannot be completely cured, although small surgeries have been shown to successfully eradicate some abnormalities.
Even in the case of an incurable brain tumor, surgeons still use stereotaxic procedures to reduce the patient’s symptoms during palliative care. In addition to human operations, stereotaxic surgery is also used on animals requiring surgical care. With the help of this surgical procedure, surgeons are now able to prevent a tumor from growing once a tumor has been detected.
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