Introduction:

State-of-the-art neurosurgery should be focused on minimally invasive procedures on the brain and spine.  However, there are only very few neurosurgical departments that routinely perform minimally invasive procedures.  This is the reason why many residents and young attendings have little or no experience with minimally invasive neurosurgery.  Contrary to common believe minimally invasive neurosurgery does not mean to perform approaches to the brain and spine “as small as possible” but rather “not larger than absolutely necessary”. It is treatment concepts which focuses on individually tailored approaches to the brain and spine rather than a definition of size.  In this course series leading experts in this field will lecture on the concept, planning of surgeries and compare it with the conventional approaches and procedures.

With three courses that will be held annually starting in 2023, we will establish a new platform for young neurosurgeons in training and young attendings in order to expose them early to the concepts of minimally invasive neurosurgery.  The series consists of 3 hands-on dissection courses of which the first one focuses on approaches and procedures to the lumbar spine the second on the cervical spine and the third on the brain and skull base.  The emphasis will be set on essential neurosurgical anatomy and the planning of minimally invasive approaches compared to the standard approaches.  The training will include lectures, virtual reality training, hands-on training on models and dissection training on cadavers.

There will be a maximum of 4 participants per cadaver and each table and station will have an instructor available. X-ray aprons, gloves and surgical gowns will be provided by the lab.

COURSES