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Stanford Health Care

Types

Our Approach to Keyhole Surgery

This technique offers important potential advantages over traditional open surgery, which can require larger incisions that may contribute to a longer hospital stay and recovery.

Minimally invasive keyhole surgery offers surgeons direct access to tumors through a tiny opening in the skull.

Our goals are to minimize the risk of complications, produce the best possible results, and reduce recovery times.

Our doctors are among the most experienced in the world using minimally invasive keyhole surgery. We have helped lead the development of this innovative technique for the treatment of tumors near the base of the skull and in the brain.

In addition, our team conducts research into new advances to ensure that we can offer patients the most advanced minimally invasive keyhole surgery options, some not yet available anywhere else.

What We Offer You for Keyhole Surgery

  • Extensive training and years of experience as an international leader in this innovative, minimally invasive surgical technique.
  • Use of the minimally invasive keyhole approach to treat conditions involving brain, pituitary, and skull base tumors.
  • Potentially fewer complications and shorter recovery times resulting from direct access to tumors through a tiny opening in the skull or through the nose.
  • Complete, compassionate treatment from dedicated professionals in our state-of-the-art clinic.
  • Research programs exploring new advances and applications of minimally invasive keyhole surgery techniques.
  • Assistance from our International Medical Services team to plan your travel and accommodations.

What Is Keyhole Surgery?

Minimally invasive keyhole surgery is a surgical technique that lets doctors access tumors and lesions (tissue damage) near the brain or spine by using an endoscope (a thin tube with a light and camera) inserted through one or more small incisions.

When compared with traditional open surgery, minimally invasive keyhole surgery is designed to reduce the risk of complications, shorten recovery times, and improve outcomes.

Types of Keyhole Surgery

Depending on your condition, our doctors have extensive experience with numerous techniques of minimally invasive keyhole surgery.

Brain port surgery
Allows access to deep-seated brain tumors and blood clots while minimizing the risk of damaging the surrounding dense and delicate neural structures.

Endoscopic trans-ventricular route
A minimally invasive procedure for removing tumors and cysts within the ventricles, including gliomas, metastatic brain tumors, colloid cysts, and pineal tumors.

Glioma metastases

Gravity-assisted surgery
Trans-falcine surgery
This technique uses gravity to gently move the brain in order to more easily reach deep-seated lesions and tumors.

Intraventricular tumors

Trans-tentorial surgery
This gravity-assisted approach is ideal for patients with certain pineal tumors and cysts and other brain tumors. The operation is performed in a sitting position to help ensure the patient is relaxed.

Mini-pterional surgery
This minimally invasive technique minimizes disruption to normal tissue and the need for brain retraction while helping maintain a cosmetic outcome. 

Retromastoid surgery
Performed by making a small incision behind the ear to reach and remove brain tumors.

Supraorbital eyebrow surgery
Useful for many patients with tumors near the optic nerves, pituitary gland, and in the frontal and temporal lobes of your brain.

Our Clinics

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Neuroscience Health Center
In Palo Alto, our multispecialty teams treat cancerous and noncancerous spine and brain tumors with surgery, radiation therapy, and medication.
213 Quarry Road
 Palo Alto, CA 94304
Phone: 650-497-7777 Getting Here

RELATED CLINICS

875 Blake Wilbur Drive
 Palo Alto, CA 94304
Phone: 650-498-6000
Make An Appointment

To schedule an appointment, please call: 650-497-7777