Newly developed endoscopic instruments for the removal of intracerebral hematoma

Ultra-early surgical treatment in which associated brain injury is minimized and maximal volume of hematoma is removed shortly after onset with secure hemostasis is expected to be established. We developed a transparent guiding sheath and other surgical instruments for endoscopic surgery and established a novel, ultra-early stage surgical procedure using those instruments. This procedure has the following characteristics: (a) burr hole opening under local anesthesia is possible; (b) a transparent sheath improves the visualization of the surgical field in the parenchyma and the hematoma; (c) free-hand surgery without fixing an endoscope and a sheath to a frame facilitates three-dimensional operation; (d) secure hemostasis by electric coagulation is possible; (e) relatively simple surgical instruments are easy to prepare. We have performed this procedure in 82 patients with intracerebral or intraventricular hemorrhage (44 with putaminal hemorrhage, 12 with thalamic hemorrhage, 8 with subcortical hemorrhage, 8 with cerebellar hemorrhage, 10 with intraventricular hemorrhage). Twenty-four of those patients received our treatment in the ultra-early stage (within 3 hours after onset). The mean duration of surgery was 63 minutes, the mean hematoma reduction rate was 96%, and no peri-operative hemorrhage with deterioration of symptoms and/or signs occurred. Therefore, we believe that endoscopic hematoma evacuation with our surgical procedure is a promising ultra-early stage treatment for intracerebral hemorrhage and that it may improve the long-term prognosis in patents with intracerebral hemorrhage.