MICRONEUROSURGERY LABORATORY

UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS

MICRONEUROSURGERY LABORATORY

(visit website from here)

The “Microneurosurgery Laboratory”, officially launched in February 2013, is situated in the heart of Athens. It is a 200sqm state-of-the-art research and education facility within a beautifully restored neoclassical building owned by Evangelismos Hospital, the largest Hospital of the Balkan region.

The laboratory is adequately equipped in order to accommodate neurosurgeons with special interest in anatomical dissections both in brain white matter and skull base.

Mission

The mission of the Microneurosurgery Laboratory is to promote both education and research in the field of neurosurgery with special emphasis on the surgical anatomy of human brain and related cranial compartments.

Facilities

The Microneurosurgery Laboratory is designed to facilitate both individual and small group dissections workshops. It has 16 fully equipped cadaveric stations with head fixation devices, operating microscopes and micro dissection instruments. In addition, educational activities are fully supported by a conference room with modern audiovisual equipment and tutorial videos

Educational Support and Research

The Microneurosurgery Laboratory organizes hands-on workshops and seminars concerning the latest neurosurgical techniques and medical devices. Hands-on cadaveric dissections provide a thorough three dimensional understanding of cranial compartments and brain anatomy for surgical practice.

The Microneurosurgery Laboratory also supports the research of graduate medical students and basic scientists in the field of Neuroanatomy.

Additionally, administrative and technical support can be provided to several surgical specialties (plastic surgery, maxillofacial surgery, orthopedics, ENT etc.) who wish to organize Hands-On Anatomy courses.

Activities

National Activities

The faculty of the laboratory has organized four accredited Neurosurgical Anatomy Cadaveric Workshops with guest instructors from Greece and Europe. Furthermore, ten Hands-on Workshops of other specialties (ENT, Head and Neck, Orthopedics) have been organized since 2014.

  • 2010, 2011, 2013 & 2014: Hands-on Workshop in Neurosurgical Anatomy
  • 2014, Feb 2016, Okt 2016: Hands-on Workshop in Temporal Bone Excavation
  • 2014, 2016 : Hands-on Workshop in Sinus Endoscopic Surgery
  • 2014, 2015, 2016: Hands-on Workshop in Head and Neck Surgery
  • 2014 και 2015: Shoulder Arthroscopic Technics

International Activities

International Publications

  • Koutsarnakis C, Liakos F, Kalyvas AV, Sakas DE, Stranjalis G. A Laboratory Manual for Stepwise Cerebral White Matter Fiber Dissection. World Neurosurg. 84(2):483-93, 2015
  • Koutsarnakis C, Liakos F, Liouta E, Themistoklis K, Sakas D, Stranjalis G. The cerebral isthmus: fiber tract anatomy, functional significance, and surgical considerations. J Neurosurg. 124(2):450-62, 2016
  • Mavridis I,Kalamatianos T,Koutsarnakis C,Stranjalis G. Microsurgical Anatomy of the Precuneal Artery: Does it really exist? Clarifying an ambiguous vessel under the Microscope. Operative Neurosurgery. 12:68-76, 2016
    Mavridis IN, Kalamatianos T, Koutsarnakis C, Stranjalis G. The Microsurgical Anatomy of the Orbitofrontal Arteries. World Neurosurg. 89:309-19, 2016
    Liakos F, Koutsarnakis C. The role of white matter dissection technique in modern neuroimaging: can neuroradiologists benefit from its use? Surg Radiol Anat. 38(2):275-6, 2016
  • Koutsarnakis C, Liakos F, Kalyvas A, Liouta E, Emelifeonwu J, Kalamatianos T, Sakas D, Johnson E, Stranjalis G. Approaching the Atrium through the intraparietal sulcus:
  • Mapping the Sulcal morphology and Correlating the surgical Corridor to underlying fiber tracts. Operative Neurosurgery. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ons/opw037 , 2017
  • Koutsarnakis C, Kalyvas AV, Stranjalis G. Letter to the Editor: Approaches to the ventricular atrium. J Neurosurg. 126:1373-1374, 2017
  • Koutsarnakis C, Liakos F, Kalyvas AV, Komaitis S, Stranjalis G. Letter to the Editor: White matter fiber tract architecture and ventricular surgery. J Neurosurg. 126(4):1368-1371, 2017

International Presentations

1. Approaching the Atrium through the Intraparietal Sulcus: Mapping the sulcal morphology and correlating the surgical corridor to underlying fiber tracts.

EANS 2016 Congress. The 16th European Congress of Neurosurgery.

2. The superior frontal transsulcal corridor to the anterior ventricular system. Exploring the sulcal and subcortical anatomy using white matter dissections and DTI tractography.

EANS 2016 Congress. The 16th European Congress of Neurosurgery.

3. Temporal lobe anatomy

C. Koutsarnakis

Invited speaker at the monthly Scottish Neurosurgical training meeting (November 2016 Perth, Scotland)

International Courses organized

2nd International Neurosurgical Anatomy and White Matter Dissection course – under the auspices of EANS.
(18/4/2016-22/4/2016 Venue: Athens Microneurosurgery Laboratory, Athens, Greece)

1st International Neurosurgical Anatomy and White Matter Dissection course – under the auspices of EANS.
(20/4/2015-23/4/2015 Venue: Athens Microneurosurgery Laboratory, Athens, Greece)

Prizes

The cerebral isthmus: Definition, fiber tract anatomy and functional considerations.

Liakos F, Koutsarnakis C, Liouta E, Kalyvas A, Stranjalis G.

1st Prize for the best oral presentation (29th Hellenic Neurosurgical Conference)

Current Research Activities.

White matter fiber dissection technique. Accurate knowledge of intrinsic brain architecture is a cornerstone in modern neurosurgery. Understanding the complex intermingling of the various fiber pathways offers a firm grasp of anatomy needed in order to refine both presurgical planning and surgical strategy. The white matter fiber dissection technique, although a complex and delicate process, is invaluable in the acquisition of important neuroanatomical knowledge. Current studies in the Microneurosurgery Laboratory are directed towards the precise dissection and localization of various white matter tracts and their functional and surgical significance.

Neuroanatomical research is also conducted in order to develop minimally invasive approaches to the brain and related compartments.

Faculty & Collaborators

Head of the Laboratory

G. Stranjalis. Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Athens

Coordinators

C. Koutsarnakis, Neurosurgeon, Evangelismos Hospital

F. Liakos, Neurosurgeon, Evangelismos Hospital, Kalamata G. H.

Faculty

E. Johnson, Associate Professor of Neuroanatomy, University of Athens

I. Fouyas, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Edinburgh, UK

M. Lee, Associate Professor, Stanford University, USA

A. Fratzoglou, Consultant Neurosurgeon, General Hospital of Piraeus

L. Stavrinou, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Bielefeld, Germany

E. Bairamidis, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Hospital of Lesvos

A. Kalyvas, Neurosurgery Resident, Evangelismos Hospital

S. Komaitis, Neurosurgery Resident, Evangelismos Hospital

G. Skandalakis, Medical Student

Staff

M. Loufardaki, Administrative support

S. Siametis, Technical support