Brain Surgery in 3-D: Coming Soon to the Operating Theater

Now we need follow up to see whether this re-vasculariation actually worked in this case. There have been many attempts but the trend is down for carotid re-vasculariaztion.

A toast to the True Rock Stars of our generation. Fantastically smart, wonderously skilled, empathetic to a fault and tireless in their pursuit to improve the lives of others. Great story!

Fantastic article, awful headline.

Ain't science wonderful - and back surgery & lots of other things where a really clear image is important.

Another tour de force by the miraculous Denise Grady.

The precursor for this photo is undoubtedly the film "Fantastic Voyage" from 50 years ago. The highlight of which, for a 10 year old boy, was when the crew members had to pry off the antibodies that attacked Raquel Welsh.

So nice to hear positive news.

Impressive

Why are you not showing more interesting pictures of the brain, rather than the uninteresting pictures of the doctors doing their job.

Good article on what it is like to be around the equipment, performing or observing the surgery. Now how about an article about the device itself? After all, this is the Science section.

I try to imagine the myriad of possibilities where technology will take the human race. Articles like this give me hope and exhiliration. Miniaturization, AI, robotics, genetic and immune manipulation, the list and possibilities endless. I have but one caveat, without renewable energy and population control it’s all really pointless.

Let's just hope it quickly becomes wide-spread, and accessible.

I wish the writer had discussed the cost of the procedure, and who paid for it. With that information, readers could determine just who among us can afford it.

I don't get the news. I saw this back in the early 80's, 1st w/the monocular "Scope Cam". Targeted for K-12 students, Pat Schlinder & Steve Balling at "The Scope Shoppe" sold 10's of thousands. Cameras improved, & companies like Lukas Microscope Service, Scientific Supply Co., & Fisher Scientific started putting video on Olympus, Zeiss & other scopes. In '88 or '89 users wanted 3D. Scope makers didn't make 3D couplers to their scopes. Mark Lukas, Al Nelson, George Najarian, & Bob Nowak each determined the angles for 3d mounting & had their own couplers made for scopes they sold. They used a time base corrector, improved definition converter (when they came along), hi-res MOS/FET (1 & 3 Chip) genlockable cameras, & cardboard glasses w/polarised lenses. W/the TBC/single-framestore it was plug & play. A doc I talked to said it was much easier & less fatiguing to watch on a positionable monitor than peer thru a stereo scope for hours. According to one, "... you don't even notice you are wearing the cheesy glasses ..." I just wanted to give credit to folks I knew that worked hard as pioneers & cracked the 3D nut. (Lukas, Nowak, & Najarian are all still with us, I think. Sadly Al Nelson passed away.) These folks made systems that tweaked easily & gave years of reliable service. Thanks for this great, informative article ~ Love It!

Awesome. Being hearing impaired and unsatisfied with expensive hearing aids, I would love to see this technology used to repair those little hairs in our ears that hearing aids cannot adequately compensate for their damage.

Very cool device and it will only get better as the technology progresses. A similar system has been in use for eye surgery for a couple of years. We use it to do retina surgery at Lahey Medical Center in Massachusetts.

What an amazing feat! My only question is :Will Medicare cover the expenses?

This story illustrates the extraordinary era we are living in live in with new, life-changing discoveries flooding our world and technological progress changing our realities. Their life changing potential is inspiring and tantalizing. The question is whether our species continued dependence on religions and the anti-scientific beliefs and attitudes they promote will be able to slow down or block scientific advancements enough to condemn us to continuing cycles of “us versus them” global politics and the bad decisions which will inevitably follow. The future of our species and our planet hangs in the balance.

Neurosurgeons are a rare and wonderous breed. It is amazing what can be done today andthe skills and courage and patience needed for such a fine outcome are difficult to comprehend. Hats off to Dr. Langer and his team, as well as the scientists and engineers behind all the fancy machinery. Harvey Cushing would be so pleased!