Performance of a new type of suction tip attachment during intramedullary tumor dissection: technical note

We describe an innovative 1.7-mm-diameter, latex-free aspirator tip attachment (Circle Medical B.V., Wijchen, The Netherlands). This tip is designed to be used during tumor resection to avoid surgical trauma to the spinal cord surrounding an intramedullary tumor and the associated blood vessels.

Since 2004, we have used a this device during tumor dissection for 36 patients with intramedullary spinal cord tumors (21 ependymomas, 7 astrocytomas, 6 hemangioblastomas, and 2 cavernomas) and 1 patient with an arteriovenous malformation. The innovative feature of this attachment is the removable and disposable, soft, thermoplastic elastomer tip that is fenestrated to keep air flowing and prevent a vacuum.

During its use, this aspirator tip did not adhere to tissue, including swollen spinal cord tissue that surrounded the tumors. We found that the tip is used more as a dissector than an aspirator. It must be cleaned two or three times per intervention; however, it was never necessary to change it.

This new, safe, soft-tipped suction tip attachment can increase surgical safety during intramedullary tumor removal and its use may be extended to other neurosurgical indications such as cauda equina tumors and any lesion that requires nerve and vessel dissection.