The concept of minimally invasive neurosurgery, once considered to be a contradiction in terminology, now has become an established discipline on the basis of a series of technical advances in optics and miniaturization. In recent years, endoscopic techniques have been applied successfully to the field of neurosurgery and have begun to revolutionize the management of a variety of neurosurgical disorders.

Endoscopic neurosurgery is appealing for a number of reasons. Small endoscopes can be used to gain access to deep intracranial structures through tiny exposures. The surgeon is able to work under direct vision with minimal trauma to neural tissue. Often, this results in a quicker recovery and shorter hospitalization for the patient. Endoscopic techniques are not applicable to all neurosurgical procedures, but for certain conditions, neuroendoscopic surgery is superior to conventional approaches and has become the procedure of choice. This article reviews the history and evolution of endoscopic neurosurgery and describes the current applications of intracranial neuroendoscopy.