Intra-operative microrecording equipment: comparative analysis of commercially available microrecording systems

Intra-operative microrecording is an important and complex part of various neurosurgical procedures in the field of functional neurosurgery, primarily stereotactic destructive and neuromodulative operations for treatment of movement disorders. The growing demand for quality microrecording devices has resulted in the development and marketing of several commercially available systems. We analyzed several of these systems and compared them with each other, trying to emphasize their strong and weak features, in the hope that this analysis will help surgeons choose the microrecording system appropriate for the needs and preferences of each particular user. Just as every stereotactic surgeon should be familiar with the principles of stereotaxis and the details of the particular stereotactic frame he or she is using, it is essential for neurosurgeons in this field to understand the principles of microrecording and certain technical details of the recording equipment in order to avoid major instrumentation-related malfunctions and to be able to perform on-site troubleshooting if such a malfunction occurs.