Surgical Anatomy of Vertical Perithalamic Hemispherotomy

Background: Vertical perithalamic hemispherotomy was introduced by Olivier Delalande in 1992 as an alternative concept of functional hemispherectomy.

Objective: To provide a step-by-step illustration of the surgical anatomy of this procedure.

Methods: The descriptions in this manuscript are based on an experience of 52 hemispherotomies performed with the same technique by a single surgeon.

Results: Our illustrations of the surgical anatomy and the descriptions of the surgical nuances facilitate a deep understanding for the surgical concept of Delalande's vertical hemispherotomy technique. They highlight the advantages (ie, reduced risk of inadvertent damage to the contralateral hemisphere and a clear orientation by defined anatomical landmarks) over the recently suggested modifications to this original technique.

Conclusion: Olivier Delalande's original technique remains the most appealing concept of vertical hemispherotomy to us.