Intraoperative protection of cranial nerves and perforating arteries by silicone rubber sheets. Technical note.

The authors describe a technique whereby, during microneurosurgery, vital structures are covered or wrapped with small pieces of silicone rubber sheeting to protect them from intraoperative injury. In this way, perforating arteries located behind a large aneurysm can be covered to avoid their inclusion within the blades of the clip, and the cranial nerves coursing around or through a tumor can be wrapped to protect them from injury by a suction or forceps. By insulating nerves and arteries, this silicone rubber sheet has the added advantage of protecting them from injury due to electrical current of bipolar forceps. The silicone rubber sheet described here is smoother, thinner, and lighter than a cotton pattie.