Techniques of endoscopic access to anterior basicranium tumours P. Castelnuovo, P. Battaglia

Rivista italiana di Chirurgia Maxillo-Facciale 2007: 19: 11–13

Malignant lesions of sinonasal region may be removed by endoscopic access. It became possible to apply this technique to tumours with a greater extent during the last 10 years. The endoscopic nasal approach to the anterior skull base could be a valid alternative for surgical treatment of lesions in these regions. The development of new instruments and techniques made it possible to excise large lesions and defect repair. The endoscopic endonasal approach provided a direct “short-cut” access to the anterior skull base. By this approach, it is possible to debulk lesions, and subperiosteal dissection of the naso-etmoido-sphenoidal complex. Peri-orbital soft tissue or meningeal involvement can be removed as well. This technique had been used for surgical treatments of meningiomas, craniopharyngiomas, pituitary adenomas, and other anterior skull base lesions. The use of this technique could result in low morbidity and provide a safe, efficacious approach to the management of all anterior skull base tumours larger then T2 stage of AJCC-UICC 2002 classification.

LUIGI CALIFANO