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Renatta J. Osterdock, MD

Fellowship trained and Board Certified in Pediatric Neurosurgery

Board Certified in General Neurosurgery

Dr. Renatta Osterdock came to Denver in February of 2008 from Loma Linda University where she served as the Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery and Medical Director of the Pediatric Neuroscience Center from 2001 to 2007. She has been Internationally recognized for her role in leading the team that separated the Craniopagus twins at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital in California. She is now working with the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children to establish the Pediatric Neuroscience Center of Excellence.

The focus of this center will be on the development of a multidisciplinary team approach to the care of children with neurologic disorders. Dr. Osterdock has also been involved in volunteer medical mission work in Thailand, China, and Vietnam and has an active interest in improving neurosurgical care for children on an international level.

A first in brain surgery

posted by: Kim Christiansen, Channel 9, KUSA/NBC. 6/26/2008

DENVER - It must be something significant to leave a 12-year-old girl "scared and speechless."

Although it is not surprising to hear that's exactly how Cassidy Schroeder felt after a weekend of double vision led to a visit with an eye doctor, an appointment with her doctor, and then a trip to Denver's Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital for neurosurgery.

Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Renatta Osterdock says the pea-sized tumor behind Cassidy's left eye was causing the double vision and problems with movement in her eye.

To remove Cassidy's tumor Osterdock relied on some of the new technology that allows for less invasive procedures. In this case she used a mapping navigation system from Metronic (of Louisville, Colorado) called StealthStation. It provides a surgeon with a 3-D image of the skull and offers a small, light instrument that bends, when reaching the tumor.

Something else made this case special.

"Basically in the stereotactic systems we've used before in order to keep the accuracy, the patient's head has to be fixed, which means it can't move in any way, so the way we do that is basically by clamping the skull," said Osterdock.

Since children has soft skulls, this is a risk and impossible in especially small children.

With this technology, no fixation of the head was necessary.

"It's the first time it's been used in Colorado, so that's what we're really excited about, because what it's going to do is it's really going to change how we take care of really small kids," said Osterdock.

Cassidy says she's pleased with the incision that is tucked inside her hairline.

"She did a good job, my head was shaved, but you can't tell," said Cassidy.

The best news of all, her tumor appears to be benign. In fact, she is going home from the hospital just two days after brain surgery.

Cassidy added, "It's shocking they can do that."

For more on the technology used in this procedure go to www.stealthstation.com.

(Copyright KUSA*TV. All rights reserved.)

Full Story on KUSA

Dr. Osterdock - "The new technology is called "Axiem" and uses an electromagnetic field for reference eliminating the need for fixation and allowing the use of frameless stereotactic guidance in infants with a much improved degree of accuracy."

For more information on MEDTRONIC'S AXIEM technology go to MEDTRONICS Website.