Animal brains for training of intraoperative ultrasound in neurosurgery. A feasibility study

Purpose: Training of intraoperative ultrasound for tumor surgery is restricted because it is only possible with the open skull of the patient. Therefore there is a real need for training and testing with suitable ultrasound equipment. Material and methods: Fresh sheep heads were opened and prepared for ultrasound training. After dura opening different agens were injected in order to simulate tumor growth or cystic lesions. The model was tested by neurosurgical residents following a specific scoring system. A Hitachi Preirus System was used with different probes e.g. special probes with biopsy aid. Conventional u…