• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Health / Medicine / Surgeon uses new technique to operate on the brain

Surgeon uses new technique to operate on the brain

October 19, 2006 By admin

An Iowa City brain surgeon is among the first in the Midwest to use a new surgical technique that sounds unorthodox but which he says streamlines the entire process. Doctor Jeremy Greenlee, a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Iowa, says the innovative technique is called endoscopic trans-nasal brain surgery.

Dr. Greenlee says “It’s a newer technique where we insert endoscopes and instruments through the nose itself to remove usually pituitary tumors right at the base of the brain. It’s a less invasive way to get to the tumors that normally require a larger, more open type exposure in the past.” The endoscope is a thin fiber optic tube that lets the surgeon see well without making a large incision. He says the procedure uses the approach of going through the nose to access tumors in hard-to-reach areas of the brain and even the spine.

Greenlee says “The benefit is the patients tend to have less post-operative pain and faster recoveries and shorter hospital stays.” He learned the technique through special training in Australia, working with a world-reknown Syndey surgeon who has perfected the procedure. Greenlee says in the past year, he’s done 25 or 30 surgeries in Iowa City using the technique.

He says he’s almost certainly the first in Iowa to use the technique and one of very few in the Midwest to offer it, though he says more and more surgeons are seeing the advantages of this practice and will start using it. Patients who are subjected to the new technique may only have a three-day hospital stay where those opting for the traditional method may be there at least five days.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Health / Medicine Tagged With: University of Iowa

Featured Stories

Marquette casino moving to land, leaving only 2 casino boats in Iowa

Reynolds signs her ‘school choice’ bill into law

Governor Reynolds touts 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Inaugural Address

University of Iowa grad presiding over U.S. House Speaker vote

Iowan who was oldest person in the U.S. dies

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State names new receivers coach

No. 2 Iowa visits No. 1 Penn State in wrestling dual Friday night

Iowa’s Clark brings increased exposure to women’s basketball

No. 18 Iowa State women visit TCU

Northern Iowa men host Valparaiso

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC