The Cooper Neurological Institute (CNI), which offers the only pituitary and neuroendocrine program in South Jersey, remains at the forefront of minimally invasive neuroendoscopy for pituitary tumors and other brain disorders with the recent acquisition of the NICO MyriadTM device. This is the first mechanical, endoscopic non-thermal tissue-removal instrument for central nervous system tumors.
“This is a new kind of instrument that opens the door for us to be much more aggressive with an endoscopic approach for pituitary and intraventricular tumors, and allows us to perform procedures that I wouldn’t have considered possible before,” says Alan R. Turtz, MD, Director of the CNI Pituitary Tumor and Neuroendocrine Program. It also offers the potential for less surgical trauma for patients, shorter hospital stays, better clinical outcomes and improved clinical experiences.
Dr. Turtz typically uses the Myriad for endoscopic transphenoidal surgery for certain kinds of tumors near the pituitary gland, and to use in the ventricles of the brain without having to do a craniotomy. The tip of the pencil-size device contains an automated cutting tool that can function as scissors, suction, dissector and probe, eliminating the need for several manual tools to break up and remove a solid tumor. Additionally, unlike ultrasonic aspirators, the Myriad is a miniature, mechanical device that doesn’t generate heat, and uses a side cutting port, enabling the surgeon to resect a tumor with better visibility, and without collateral damage to adjacent tissue.