Indications The major advantages of this approach include broad exposure to the anterior cranial base with minimal brain retraction. The approach can facilitate the access to the anterior skull base, especially at the midline, including orbits, planum sphenoidale, sphenoid sinus,…
Indications and Preoperative Considerations Postoperative CSF leak is one of the most important complications secondary to endoscopic skull base surgery. Skull base reconstruction techniques have been instrumental for the development of endoscopic skull base surgery. Continuous research has been done…
Preoperative Considerations Chordomas are locally aggressive neoplasms that arise from embryonic remnants of the notochord along the vertebral axis. They represent less than 1% of all intracranial neoplasms. They can be divided in three groups according to their location: Cranial…
Preoperative Considerations Craniopharyngiomas are tumors with solid-cystic components that originate from embryological remnants of the Rathke's pouch. They represent 1–3% of lifetime intracranial tumors and up to 5–10% occurring during childhood. They are commonly located in the suprasellar region, arising…
Preoperative Considerations Pituitary adenomas are the most prevalent intrasellar lesions and the third most prevalent primary intracranial tumors. These lesions can lead to significant neurologic and/or endocrine-related morbidity secondary to compression of neurovascular structures and hormonal dysfunction. Pituitary adenomas may…
There are many surgical variants of the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA), which can be used for management of lesions at the ventral skull base. The main goal of this chapter is to provide the skull base surgeon with strong anatomic…
Preoperative Considerations The far lateral provides wide access to the dorsolateral compartment yet allowing exposure to the lateral aspect of the ventromedial compartment of the posterior fossa (270° visualization of the circumference around the medulla). Variants of the far lateral…
Preoperative Considerations The standard retrosigmoid approach allows for expeditious access to the posterior fossa, specifically to the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). The extended retrosigmoid approach includes the skeletonization of the transverse–sigmoid sinus and an optional partial mastoidectomy to the standard retrosigmoid…
There are a variety of different techniques that can be used to surgically manage anterior skull base lesions. In this chapter we demonstrate the value of the standard and extended subfrontal craniotomies. Indications The subfrontal approach allows access and excellent…
Introduction The supraorbital approach gives access to several areas of the anterior and middle cranial fossa, sellar and parasellar region. It is a minimally invasive alternative to larger approaches such as fronto-orbital, pterional and orbitozygomatic approaches. Two minimally invasive incisions,…