Introducing next-generation transcranial surgery with the head-mounted 3D View Vision display in extracorporeal microsurgery: illustrative cases

Abstract

BACKGROUND Exoscopy in neurosurgery offers various advantages, including increased freedom of the viewing axis while the surgeon maintains a comfortable upright position. However, the optimal monitor positioning to avoid interference with surgical manipulation remains unresolved. Herein, the authors describe two cases in which a three-dimensional head-mounted display (3D-HMD) was introduced into a transcranial neurosurgical procedure using an exoscope. OBSERVATIONS Case 1 was a 50-year-old man who presented with recurrent epistaxis and was diagnosed with an olfactory neuroblastoma that extended from the nasal cavity to the anterior cranial base and infiltrated the right anterior cranial fossa. Case 2 was a 65-year-old man who presented with epistaxis and was diagnosed with a left-sided olfactory neuroblastoma. In both cases, en bloc tumor resection was successfully performed via a simultaneous exoscopic transcranial approach using a 3D-HMD and an endoscopic endonasal approach, eliminating the need to watch a large monitor beside the patient. LESSONS This is the first report of using a 3D-HMD in transcranial surgery. The 3D-HMD effectively addressed issues with the field of vision and concentration while preserving the effectiveness of traditional microscopic and exoscopic procedures when observed on a 3D monitor. Combining the 3D-HMD with an exoscope holds the potential to become a next-generation surgical approach.