First ever 3D endoscopic surgery in Croatia performed at KBC Zagreb hospital

31 January 2019 – The first ever 3D endoscopic surgery to remove pituitary tumors has been performed at KBC Zagreb hospital. 

This type of surgery requires great precision, operating close to nerves and blood vessels in an extremely narrow space. 3D technology makes it easier to perform and the team of specialists at KBC Zagreb passed the test with the successful first operation.  

Endoscopic surgery is performed through the nose to remove tumors from the pituitary gland and skull base.

Thanks to the 3D endoscopes, the tissue is more visible and the doctors can now be more precise. The endoscopic surgery is performed through the nose to remove tumors from the pituitary gland and skull base.

“In these pituitary tumors, the tumor based on the skull is very important to determine the relationship to vital structures, nerves, blood vessels, and 3D endoscopy gives us a third-dimension that is not in the classical endoscopic method,” said Marcel Marjanović Kavanagh. 

Although it was the first time the surgery was performed in Croatia, the team at KBC Zagreb hospital showed that they knew what they were doing.  

The team hopes to perform more of these surgeries using the hospital’s own 3D endoscope as for the first operation they had used a borrowed 3D endoscope which cost around 100,000 euros, HRT reported.