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Stanford Health Care

Keyhole Surgery

Our Approach to Keyhole Surgery

This technique offers important potential advantages over traditional open surgery, which can require larger incisions that may contribute to a longer hospital stay and recovery.

Minimally invasive keyhole surgery offers surgeons direct access to tumors through a tiny opening in the skull.

Our goals are to minimize the risk of complications, produce the best possible results, and reduce recovery times.

Our doctors are among the most experienced in the world using minimally invasive keyhole surgery. We have helped lead the development of this innovative technique for the treatment of tumors near the base of the skull and in the brain.

In addition, our team conducts research into new advances to ensure that we can offer patients the most advanced minimally invasive keyhole surgery options, some not yet available anywhere else.

What We Offer You for Keyhole Surgery

  • Extensive training and years of experience as an international leader in this innovative, minimally invasive surgical technique.
  • Use of the minimally invasive keyhole approach to treat conditions involving brain, pituitary, and skull base tumors.
  • Potentially fewer complications and shorter recovery times resulting from direct access to tumors through a tiny opening in the skull or through the nose.
  • Complete, compassionate treatment from dedicated professionals in our state-of-the-art clinic.
  • Research programs exploring new advances and applications of minimally invasive keyhole surgery techniques.
  • Assistance from our International Medical Services team to plan your travel and accommodations.

What Is Keyhole Surgery?

Minimally invasive keyhole surgery is a surgical technique that lets doctors access tumors and lesions (tissue damage) near the brain or spine by using an endoscope (a thin tube with a light and camera) inserted through one or more small incisions.

When compared with traditional open surgery, minimally invasive keyhole surgery is designed to reduce the risk of complications, shorten recovery times, and improve outcomes.

What to Expect from Keyhole Surgery

Minimally invasive keyhole surgery lets your doctor access a tumor or lesion (tissue damage) near the brain or spine through a tiny cut in the skull or through the nose.

The surgeon inserts a thin tube called an endoscope, which includes a light and camera, through one or more small incisions. The doctor also inserts tools to remove the tumor.

As an alternative to traditional surgery, minimally invasive keyhole surgery can help improve both your health and quality of life by reducing the risk of facial disfigurement, minimizing trauma to the brain and critical nerve structures, lowering the risk of complications, and making recovery times as short as possible.

In addition, if a tumor is malignant (cancerous), you may be able to start chemotherapy or radiation treatment right away. With no large incisions, there is no long wait for incisions to heal before starting cancer treatment.

We welcome you to our state-of-the-art clinic for complete, compassionate care. Our team has extensive experience and helped pioneer minimally invasive keyhole surgery to treat many types of skull-based tumors, including some that were once considered inoperable.

Our Clinics

Brain and Spine Tumor Center at Stanford Neuroscience Health Center
In Palo Alto, our multispecialty teams treat cancerous and noncancerous spine and brain tumors with surgery, radiation therapy, and medication.
213 Quarry Road
 Palo Alto, CA 94304
Phone: 650-497-7777 Getting Here

RELATED CLINICS

875 Blake Wilbur Drive
 Palo Alto, CA 94304
Phone: 650-498-6000
Make An Appointment

To schedule an appointment, please call: 650-497-7777