Over the past fifty years the expected outcome from surgery on tumors of the nervous system has changed from patients being in an ICU in coma to their leaving the hospital within days to resume the activities that filled the days prior to the surgery. And it has been the experience of children undergoing such surgeries that has led the way. The team-based approach to managing children with tumors within the nervous system has placed the Adam Gaynes Pediatric Neuro-oncology Program at the front of this phenomenon.
The American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery certified pediatric neurosurgeons at the Adam Gaynes Pediatric Neuro-oncology Program have all the latest technology available to provide state-of-the-art care or better to their young patients. Advanced imaging capabilities allow our surgeons to understand the anatomy of the tumor and surrounding nervous system including important functional pathways and blood vessels. This information can be imported into computers within the operating room then used to precisely guide the surgeons during surgery with millimeter accuracy, avoiding injury to vital bundles of nerves and blood vessels.
Modern surgical microscope provide optimal visualization of the surgical field and high-definition digital video cameras in these microscopes keep the entire surgical team aware of what is occurring at any moment during the surgery. Endoscopic equipment is used when a minimal invasive surgery is called for. Modern electrical and laser cautery systems are used to assist in the removal of the tumor in addition to ultrasonic emulsifiers that liquefy the tumor so that it can be sucked away in a near atraumatic fashion. Intraoperative imaging of the surgical field is available using ultrasonic and CAT Scan equipment. Sophisticated computer equipment is available to monitor the conduction of signals through the nervous system to insure pathways remain functional as the tumor is removed and these systems can also be used to stimulate and map out functionally important areas of the nervous system so they can be avoided during the resection. Awake surgeries are also done for older patients in special circumstances when operating near critically important areas of the brain.