Tractography Navigated Endoscopic En-Bloc Excision of Pediatric Giant Choroid Plexus Tumor

Giant choroid plexus (CP) tumors in children pose a formidable surgical challenge due to extensive vascularity/blood loss, tumor size impeding early visualization of the pedicle, hydrocephalus/mass effect distorting cerebral localization, considerable prevalence of atypical tumors and carcinoma demanding excision without tumor spillage, and retraction-associated morbidity. However, total resection of CP papilloma has excellent potential for cure. This is probably the first report in the literature of diffusion tensor imaging navigation-guided tumor pedicle targeting, endoscopic devascularization and division of pedicle followed by en bloc delivery in optimally tackling most of these challenges in a 6-year-old girl presenting with a giant lateral ventricular CP tumor. Giant CP tumors pose a formidable challenge. Extensive vascularity can cause life-threatening blood loss in children.¹ Large tumor size makes it impractical during microsurgery to achieve early visualization of pedicle.² Hydrocephalus and mass effect can distort sulcal anatomy, with potentially devastating deficits.³ Still, prevalence of atypical tumors and carcinoma warrants excision without tumor spillage.⁴ In Video 1, we demonstrate our "10-D" steps of en-bloc excision, exploiting panoramic visualization of endoscope⁵: 1. Diagnosis, 2. Diffusion tensor imaging guided pedicle targeting, 3. Design position & exposure, 4. Durotomy, 5. Dissection of sulcus, 6. Delineation of pedicle, 7. Devascularization, 8. Division of pedicle, 9. Delivery of tumor, and 10. Dural & skin closure. The conventional superior parietal lobule approach to get the tumor en-bloc would have been from the posterosuperior direction, where the tumor is likely to conceal the pedicle. The trajectory to first get to the pedicle must be from an anterosuperior direction but will violate corticospinal fibers. Hence entry point was chosen in between, just posterior to the post-central sulcus. To accommodate the 'en-bloc' excision avoiding ventricular seedlings, a 5 cm mini-craniotomy was fashioned centered on the entry point planned in the navigation system. Ventricle was entered perpendicular to the sulcus through the roof of the atrium, with least cortical transgression and avoiding injury to laterally placed optic radiation and speech areas.⁶ A 30-degree, 4-mm endoscope was inserted anterolateral to the tumor and fixed. The wide-angled vision offered by endoscopes enhancing meticulous dissection is the likely cause of better neurological outcomes, as noted in other ventricular lesions.⁷ Pedicular attachment of the tumor is coagulated thoroughly and cut, ensuring initial sparing of venous drainage. The draining vein is then coagulated and divided. 'En-bloc' excision is also known in other vascular lesions to decrease the risk of bleeding.⁸ The angled optics & panoramic visualization helps to identify any possible tumor seedlings.⁹ This is probably the first report of endoscopic en-bloc excision of a giant choroid plexus tumor in literature.