Craniotome
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Craniotome
We only preserve brains, so it's important to have good tools for removing the skullcap in order to safely remove the brain. Over the last few years, we have tried a number of different tools, including an electric reciprocating autopsy saw, a cordless electric craniotome, a nitrogen-powered craniotome, and an electric die grinder with a shaft. Today, for the first time, we were successful in smoothly cutting through the skull. We'll post pictures and specs later. But, basically, we have an off-the-shelf 50,000 rpm brushless electric handpiece, a 1/8" bit, and a custom welded foot attachment that slides between the dura and the skull to protect the brain during cutting. It works great, and there are improvements we can add to make it even faster.
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Re: Craniotome
In spite of the usefulness of these tools, we are now going back to leaving the brain within the braincase, if at all possible. As I'm working on these brains, I just keep thinking, "would I want this done to me?" The answer is clearly no. There's too much human error, and just too much damage, no matter how good the tools or technique get. At most, we might remove small sections of skullcap for various reasons.