[Clinical applications of stereotaxic methology]

Cerebral stereotaxy is an old methodology allowing an accurate approach of a lesion or a function, in constant renewal with the introduction of computers and robotic. There is a natural complementarity with recent neuroradiological investigations and together, it is possible to reach cerebral deep-seated or functional structures with inocuity and fiability for diagnosis and/or therapy. Its application is very large and also influences neuronavigation procedures, current in conventional neurosurgery. Tumoral stereotaxy is commonly used and achieves a better adaptation of the therapeutical strategy according to the lesions' site and histological diagnosis. The development of functional stereotaxy is associated with the interest of the neurosurgical treatment of involuntary abnormal movements, without forgetting different aspects of surgery of chronic pain and intractable epilepsies. Moreover, the stereotactic methodology leads the concept of radiosurgery, which is in some indications a true alternative to open surgery (arteriovenous malformations, vestibular schwannoma, metastasis) under the control of accurate selection in a multidisciplinary approach.