Endoscopic?

[doogan]

I have read that there are 3 different approaches to the Surgrey to remove a tumor in the area that we are sooooo lucky to have them.  These appear to be Middle Fossa,Translab and retrosigmoid. .

Each of them appear to be used by various surgeons and have various benefits and disadvantages, I have to do alot more reading to understand them more.

The one question i currently have is that i have seen alot of posts recently in referance to endoscopic surgrey - can someone clarify what this is.

I am assuming it is just the collective term for the above mentioned approach - or is this another less invasive approach..?

I am leaning toward radiosurgrey, with the hopes that i will save my facial nerve functionality, or at least most of it. My hearing is also not yet affected and i am also hoping that Radio surgrey will be kind to this.

However, If this endoscopic approach is less invasive than the other surgeries, then getting this bugger out of my head would not be bad.......

can anyone clarify

thanks

[Derek]

Hi there Doogan...

The endoscopic procedure is another form of surgery utilising the endoscope rather than the conventional microscope (microsurgery) procedure. It is still an invasive treatment requiring surgery and there are conflicting professional medical views concerning whether it is safer than conventional microsurgery but it is also considered by some to offer lesser chances of acquiring some of the side effects that often manifest following microsurgery. However the endoscopic procedure is still 'surgery' and as such is not of course entirely risk free!

Ensure that you undertake lots of research and as a starting point, type in 'endoscopic removal' in the search field of this 'site when you will  be able to access some relevant information.

 Albeit endoscopic removal of acoustic neuromas is a relatively new procedure, we do have members of our 'family' who have successfully undertaken the procedure and I am sure it won't be too long before you get some appropriate responses from those with personal experience who are better equipped to advise you.

Best Regards

Derek

[jerseygirl]

Hi, Doogan,

Derek pretty much summed it up regarding the endoscopic approach. There are two threads in this section that deal specifically with it: Skull Base Possibilities and Endoscopic Approach - Dr. Field. There is an enormous amount of information there including the relevant websites to visit as well as individual stories. Most of the people here, who had or will have endoscopic surgery,  do it to remove AN, not facial schwannoma.  So, research as much as you can and if you think this is the promising approach for you, then you would probably want to contact the doctors as the next step.

Best wishes!

                                                Eve

[ceeceek]

Hi Doogan....
Eve and I are the ones that have been posting the most recent inquiries, I believe in regards to endoscopic..I have tons,,,and I mean litterally tons of into in regards to endoscopic approach..I will be happy to share just send me a private message...look for my previous post etc......a lot depends on your specific problem..where and what type of tumor you have..the endoscopic approach was innovated by Dr. Jho at Pittsburgh..several of the Dr.s working with him have now branched out and Endo is becoming more poplular as the idea is to go through natural opening or make mimimal opening to have the least possible disturbance of the brain....it was initiated primarily for pituitary tumors or skull base tumors...be sure to look at the skull base institute web site,,great reference and the Dr. there is also quite qualified, although he came about his training in a slightly different manner......also, medlineplus videos of surgical proceedures has a real live surgery using this technique, and explains alot about the approach....there are lots of options available for each individual depending upon your individual needs....me, I have an unusual skull base tumor, and i was quite happy to go with cyberknife treatment, except there is a very and I mean very slight chance the tumor I have, could be a type of sarcoma and if radiated would make it grow rather than kill it...so I had to look into options for a biopsy...with endo, a biopsy and resection are more or less one in the same..if they can reach the tumor they will attempt to remove it....use the search, endoscopic brain tumor removal and you will find lots of info, both pros and cons although I personally believe it to be the wave of the future as although like any surgery, there are risk, they are much more minimal than most traditional approaches....and particularly for skull base tumors where they would need to physically retract your brain, henceforth taking the chance on damaging it.....although I need a biopsy, and would prefer to have said growth removed, touching my brain under any circumstances was not an option for me.....plenty of people have done just fine with traditional approaches and the brain is quite resillient(sp), but anti seizure medication is a standard medication used for the first several weeks after surgery and that was not under any  circumstances an option due to what I do for a lliving, so I researched for other options.......found out about ENdo, found lucky for me a doctor in the same state I live in whom trained at Pittsburgh with Dr. Jho and off I go in April.....
Feel free to message me and I will provide as many links of info that I can etc.
Ceeceek