Abstract
Background: The need of a handrest in neurovascular surgeries is more justified than any other subspecialties of neurosurgery. Authors have been using a simple and cost-effective handrest for microneurosurgery and share the details of the same. Materials and Methods: A detachable upper segment of a ‘cardiac trolley’, used in an intensive care unit (ICU), was made consisting of a ‘L’- shaped stainless steel (SS) frame (each arm 2 feet long, square SS pipe of 1 inch × 1 inch) and 0.5 cm × 15 cm × 60 cm Aluminium Composite Panel sheet. After use, it was replaced again by the original top of the cardiac trolley for its regular use in the ICU. Results: The movable handrest with adjustable height has vertical support on one side only. It allows it to be easily placed in the surgical field without affecting the surgeon’s legs. It effectively supports the elbow or forearm as per the surgeon’s choice merely by changing its height. Authors have been using it for about 5 years for microneurosurgery and find it most useful during aneurysm surgeries, especially during dissection around the aneurysm neck. The cost of the handrest attachment for the cardiac trolley was approximately 5 USD. Conclusion: The utility of handrest for microneurosurgery has long been established. It can be used as a handrest only during surgery after which, it can be kept in the ICU for regular use as a cardiac trolley. A cost-effective and simple-to-make handrest will be useful for neurosurgeons working in resource-constrained setups, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Published Version
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