Neuronavigation-guided surgery
At The Brain and Spine Centre, we specialize in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of neurological and spinal disorders. Dr. Muhammad Aqeel Natt, a leading neurosurgeon in Lahore, provides advanced, safe, and compassionate care for patients.
Neuronavigation-guided surgery
Neuronavigation-guided surgery uses advanced computer-assisted stereotactic technology to provide real-time, three-dimensional intraoperative navigation based on pre-operative imaging (MRI/CT), enabling precise localization of brain structures, tumors, and lesions during neurosurgical procedures. At The Brain and Spine Centre, Dr. Muhammad Aqeel Natt utilizes neuronavigation systems at Farooq Hospital, West Wood Branch, Lahore, to enhance accuracy, safety, and extent of resection in complex cranial and spinal surgery.
Our goal is simple: maximize tumor resection or lesion targeting while minimizing damage to eloquent brain areas, reducing surgical morbidity and improving patient outcomes.
What Is Neuronavigation-guided Surgery?
Neuronavigation integrates preoperative imaging with intraoperative tracking to create a dynamic surgical map, similar to GPS for the brain; rigid registration aligns patient head to imaging dataset, and optical/infrared cameras track instruments in real-time. Systems compensate for brain shift (intraoperative deformation) using intraoperative imaging (iMRI/iUS) and augmented reality. Applications span cranial tumor resection, vascular malformations, epilepsy surgery, biopsies, DBS, and spinal instrumentation.
Benefits of Neuronavigation
Neuronavigation transforms neurosurgery by providing:
Precise lesion localization and margin definition, increasing gross total resection (GTR) rates 20-40%.
Real-time avoidance of critical structures (eloquent cortex, vessels, tracts via DTI integration).
Reduced operative time, blood loss, infection risk, hospital stay.
Enhanced confidence for deep-seated, subcortical, skull base tumors.
Improved biopsy accuracy, DBS lead placement, epilepsy electrode implantation.
Applications
Brain tumors:
Gliomas: NS + 5-ALA + iMRI achieves >95% GTR even in eloquent areas.
Metastases, meningiomas: precise margins, venous preservation.
Vascular:
AVMs, aneurysms: trajectory planning, perforator preservation.
Functional:
Epilepsy: grid placement, resection guidance.
DBS/Parkinson’s: optimal lead trajectory.
Spinal:
Instrumentation, tumor resection, deformity correction.
The Procedure
Intraoperative workflow:
Preoperative MRI/CT/angiography; fiber tracking (DTI) for tracts.
Head fixation (Mayfield); fiducial/surface registration.
Optical tracking camera monitors instruments/head.
Real-time overlay on monitors; pointer probes define anatomy.
iMRI/iUS updates for brain shift correction.
Post-resection verification imaging.
Recovery & Aftercare
Standard for procedure type; reduced complications accelerate recovery.
ICU monitoring for eloquent resections.
Neuroimaging follow-up assesses resection extent.
Results You Can Expect
GTR/EOR: NS + adjuncts (iMRI, 5-ALA) >90% vs 60-70% conventional.
Survival: higher GTR correlates with improved PFS/OS in gliomas.
Morbidity: neurological deficit rates reduced 20-50%; shorter LOS.
Epilepsy: improved seizure freedom rates.
Why Choose The Brain and Spine Centre
State-of-the-art neuronavigation with iMRI integration for brain shift compensation. Expertise in eloquent area tumors, functional neurosurgery, vascular lesions. Multidisciplinary tumor board optimizes surgical planning. Evidence-based integration with 5-ALA fluorescence, intraoperative monitoring.
Cost of Neuronavigation-guided Surgery
OR time, imaging, navigation system use; cost-effective via reduced complications/LOS. Included in procedure pricing.
