Turkish Neurosurgery 2022 , Vol 32 , Num 5
Fully-Endoscopic Resection of Deep-Seated Pilocytic Astrocytoma Under 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Fluorescence Guidance: A Technical Note
Ryosuke MORI1,Yasuharu AKASAKI1,Nei FUKASAWA2,Daichi KAWAMURA1,Kostadin KARAGIOZOV1,Yuichi MURAYAMA1
1The Jikei University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo, Japan
2The Jikei University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Tokyo, Japan
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.35007-21.2 AIM: To improve the extent and safety of resecting these deep-seated tumors, we report a novel procedure of minimally invasive endoscopic resection of deep-seated pilocytic astrocytomas under the guidance of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) fluorescence undescribed until now.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 53-year-old male presented with a gradually progressing mild right hemiparesis. Imaging studies showed a solid tumor with degenerative cystic formation in the left basal ganglia. The tumor was removed endoscopically via right frontal small craniotomy. The tumor was positive for 5-ALA fluorescence and allowed better detection of the dissection margin of the solid tumor from the surrounding brain tissue. The histopathological diagnosis was pilocytic astrocytoma. No recurrence was observed on follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 2 years after surgery, and the patient was fully independent after rehabilitation.

CONCLUSION: This minimally invasive technique, enhanced by intraoperative fluorescence, might be a safe and feasible alternative to open surgery in the removal of deeply located gliomas. Keywords : Neuroendoscopy, Photodynamic diagnosis, Pilocytic astrocytoma, 5-aminolevulinic acid

Corresponding author : Ryosuke MORI, ryotam@jikei.ac.jp