Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.6
2.8
Journals
Brain Sciences
Special Issues
Neurosurgery: Minimally Invasive Surgery in Brain and Spine
share announcement

Neurosurgery: Minimally Invasive Surgery in Brain and Spine

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 June 2025) | Viewed by 5648

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Christopher Ahuja

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA
2. Simpsons-Querrey Research Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60208, USA
3. Central DuPage Hospital, Northwestern Medicine, Winfield, IL 60190, USA
Interests: neurosurgery; minimally invasive surgery; spine surgery; spinal deformities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for the brain and spine represents a transformative approach aimed at reducing patient morbidity and enhancing outcomes. These techniques leverage small incisions coupled with advanced instrumentation and visualization technologies. The primary advantages of MIS approaches include reduced blood loss, lower incidence of postoperative infections, and expedited patient recovery with shortened hospital stays. However, MIS approaches often have a steep learning curve and require sufficient operating room infrastructure for success. This Special Issue explores the current state-of-the-art in enabling technologies, nuances to surgical approaches, comparisons of patient outcomes and safety, and concludes with a look at the next generation of MIS interventions. Overall, MIS for the brain and spine represents a significant advancement in neurosurgical and orthopedic practice, promising improved patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs.

We encourage the submission of original papers, review articles, case reports and case series, pilot studies, and randomized controlled clinical trials.

Dr. Christopher Ahuja
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • minimally invasive surgery
  • neurosurgery
  • brain
  • spine

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

Jump to: Other

16 pages, 481 KB  
Review
Resident Training in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: A Scoping Review
by Michael C. Oblich, James G. Lyman, Rishi Jain, Dillan Prasad, Sharbel Romanos, Nader Dahdaleh, Najib E. El Tecle and Christopher S. Ahuja
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(9), 936; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15090936 - 28 Aug 2025
Viewed by 943
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is complex and requires proficiency with a variety of technological and robotic modalities. Acquiring these skills is a long and involved process, often with a steep learning curve. This paper seeks to characterize the state of [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is complex and requires proficiency with a variety of technological and robotic modalities. Acquiring these skills is a long and involved process, often with a steep learning curve. This paper seeks to characterize the state of MISS training in neurosurgical and orthopedic residency programs, focusing on their effectiveness at minimizing substantial learning curves in the field, as well as highlighting potential areas for future growth. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases utilizing the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. Results: Of the 100 studies initially identified, 16 were included in our final analysis. MISS training types could be broadly grouped into four categories: virtual simulation (including AR and VR), physical models, hybrid didactic and simulation, and mentored training. Training with these modalities led to improvements in resident performance across multiple different MISS techniques, including percutaneous pedicle screw fixation, MIS dural repair, MIS-TLIF, MIS-LLIF, MIS-ULBD, microscopic discectomy/disk herniation repair, percutaneous needle placement, and surgical navigation. Specific improvements included reduced error rate, operation time, and fluoroscopy exposure, as well as increased procedural knowledge, accuracy, and confidence. Conclusions: The incorporation of MISS training modalities in spine surgery residency leads to increases in simulated performance and could serve as a means of overcoming significant learning curves in the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurosurgery: Minimally Invasive Surgery in Brain and Spine)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 3573 KB  
Review
Advances in Coccygectomy: A Comprehensive Review Evaluating Surgical Techniques for Coccygodynia
by Barnabas Obeng-Gyasi, Ethan D. L. Brown, Anoop Sai Chinthala and Gordon Mao
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(2), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15020213 - 19 Feb 2025
Viewed by 3418
Abstract
Background: Coccygodynia presents significant challenges in diagnosis and treatment. While coccygectomy has emerged as a crucial intervention for refractory cases, significant heterogeneity exists in surgical techniques. Traditional approaches are increasingly complemented by novel methods, necessitating a comprehensive review of current surgical options. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background: Coccygodynia presents significant challenges in diagnosis and treatment. While coccygectomy has emerged as a crucial intervention for refractory cases, significant heterogeneity exists in surgical techniques. Traditional approaches are increasingly complemented by novel methods, necessitating a comprehensive review of current surgical options. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and Embase databases from inception to present. Search terms included “coccygectomy”, “coccydynia”, “coccygodynia”, “coccyx pain” and “tailbone pain”. We analyzed peer-reviewed studies focusing on surgical techniques, outcomes and complications of coccygectomy. Studies were excluded if non-peer-reviewed, non-English without translation, or not directly addressing surgical management. Results: Traditional midline approaches, while common, demonstrate increased wound complications compared to paramedian techniques. Minimally invasive methods, including coccygeoplasty and endoscopic coccygectomy, show promising early outcomes with reduced recovery times. Both partial and complete resections provide significant pain relief, with complete resection potentially offering superior results in severe cases. Wound closure technique significantly impacts surgical success. Conclusions: Optimal outcomes in coccygectomy require individualized surgical approaches incorporating modern techniques like paramedian incision and advanced wound closure. Emerging minimally invasive procedures may further reduce complications and enhance recovery. Treatment success depends on careful patient selection and surgical technique optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurosurgery: Minimally Invasive Surgery in Brain and Spine)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Review

12 pages, 1561 KB  
Case Report
Lumbosacral Endoscopic Ventral–Dorsal Rhizotomy: A Novel Approach for Tone Reduction
by Lucinda T. Chiu, Benjamin E. Weiss, Nathan Pertsch, Olivia Rogers, Benjamin Katholi and Jeffrey S. Raskin
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(10), 1030; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15101030 - 23 Sep 2025
Viewed by 443
Abstract
Objective: Neurosurgical interventions for medically refractory hypertonia (MRH) benefit both patients and their caregivers. Concurrent severe rotatory scoliosis and fusion constructs can make traditional microsurgical rhizotomy and navigated radiofrequency ablation (RFA) peripheral rhizotomy technically infeasible. We report the first case series of [...] Read more.
Objective: Neurosurgical interventions for medically refractory hypertonia (MRH) benefit both patients and their caregivers. Concurrent severe rotatory scoliosis and fusion constructs can make traditional microsurgical rhizotomy and navigated radiofrequency ablation (RFA) peripheral rhizotomy technically infeasible. We report the first case series of lumbosacral endoscopic ventral–dorsal rhizotomy (eVDR) in patients with MRH, and highlight this novel, minimally invasive, safe, and effective technique. Material and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our single institution series of four patients with advanced hypertonia, gross motor function classification scale (GMFCS) 5, and severe rotatory scoliosis who underwent an eVDR using a flexible endoscope. We report demographics, operative characteristics, and outcomes. Results: Four patients underwent bilateral L1-S1 eVDR. Two patients had spastic quadriplegia and two had mixed spastic and dystonic hypertonia. Mean operative time was 225 ± 11 min and mean estimated blood loss (EBL) was 28.8 ± 26.2 mLs. Average length of stay was 2.75 days (range = 1–5 days), and average follow-up was 5.75 months (range = 3–9 months). All patients had significant decrease in bilateral lower extremity modified Ashworth Scale (mAS) scores (median decrease = 3, interquartile range [IQR] = 1; Wilcoxon rank-sum test z = −2.3, p = 0.02). The median decrease in Barry–Albright Dystonia Scale (BADS) scores for both patients with dystonia was 8 (IQR = 0). Two patients had minor perioperative events; none required additional surgery. All parents reported improvement in caregiving metrics. Conclusions: eVDR offers a safe and effective approach for tone reduction in patients with MRH and severe rotatory scoliosis and/or fusion hardware, which disallows traditional approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurosurgery: Minimally Invasive Surgery in Brain and Spine)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop