Chennai Doctors Develop New Surgery Technique 'Kilpauk Keyhole Craniotomy' For Brain Haemorrhage
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Prof. Kodeeswaran M said they have successfully performed the KKC procedure on more than 50 patients - Reports S. Ravichandran.
Published : April 14, 2026 at 3:37 PM IST
Chennai: A team at Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital in Chennai has developed a new neurosurgical approach that makes the treatment of brain haemorrhage cases safer and more effective.
In a paper published in Neurology India in February 2026, the doctors led by Prof. Kodeeswaran M of the Department of Neurosurgery, Govt Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, have named the procedure the 'Kilpauk Keyhole Craniotomy' or KKC. A craniotomy is a surgical procedure where a portion of the skull is temporarily removed to access the brain for treating cases like severe brain haemorrhages.
The doctors say conventional single-burr-hole endoscopic surgery can be difficult because the working space is narrow and the surgeon's tools may clash inside the skull.
Their answer is KKC, a keyhole-shaped craniotomy with two defined zones: a landing area for the endoscope and a wider flowing zone that allows freer movement of instruments.
The doctors describe KKC as a specially shaped mini-opening in the skull intended to improve scope movement, instrument handling, and access to hidden blood pockets and membranes.
"KKC is our innovation to tackle the limitations of the traditional single burr hole endoscopic surgeries. It is applied in various neurotraumatology patients like chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH)," the doctors say in the paper, accessed by ETV Bharat.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Prof. Kodeeswaran said CSDH is a condition where bleeding occurs during a head injury, resulting in increased blood pressure in the brain.
"As a result, problems such as vomiting, headache, dizziness, limb paralysis, and loss of memory occur. To overcome them, we have introduced the Kilpauk Keyhole Craniotomy (KKC) treatment method," he said.
In CSDH, a type of brain haemorrhage, blood collects slowly on the brain’s surface and is often treated by draining the clot through a small opening.
"In Kilpauk Medical College at the Department of Neurosurgery, we had innovated a new mini craniotomy, appearing in the form of Keyhole with the Endoscopic‑landing (E‑Landing), and Endoscopic‑flowing (E‑flowing) zone. Hence the name Kilpauk keyhole craniotomy (KKC)," the doctors explain in the paper.
The doctors say they have applied the KKC technique in various neurotraumatology patients, including those with CSDH and chronic extradural hematoma (another form of brain haemorrhage).
"Keyhole craniotomy has been very useful as it allows the easy flow of instruments in the restricted space, avoids ergonomic difficulties, and also helps in better surgical outcomes," they say.
Prof. Kodeeswaran said they have successfully performed the Kilpauk Keyhole Craniotomy on more than 50 patients and will continue to carry on with the treatment method.
"This modern treatment method is also used to treat brain tumours, haemorrhage, infection, or skull injuries. Since this surgery is performed through an endoscope, the brain can also recover from the damage quickly," he said.
The senior neurosurgeon said that bleeding within the skull after an injury may not be immediately noticeable, and its effects are sometimes visible after two to three months.
"The affected person will experience symptoms like headache, vomiting, and arm and leg paralysis. Only then will they come to the hospital. We perform surgery on them using the modern KKC method. It is designed to eliminate the difficulties and complications of traditional keyhole skull surgery," he said.
According to the paper, the design, combined with bevelled bone edges, helps surgeons reach the full extent of the hematoma and remove the inner membrane more completely.
The paper reports that the method was used in patients with chronic subdural hematoma and related conditions, with postoperative scans showing improvement in the described cases. "The KKC can be used in various neuroendoscopic surgeries and its applications are being explored," the doctors say.
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