TY - JOUR
T1 - Craniofacial resection
T2 - Decreased complication rate with a modified subcranial approach
AU - Ross, Donald A.
AU - Marentette, Lawrence J.
AU - Moore, Charles E.
AU - Switz, Kristin L.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - The authors have successfully utilized a modified subcranial approach to the anterior skull base, based upon the procedure first described by Joram Raveh, as an alternative to standard craniofacial resection. The complication rate of this procedure in 31 consecutive cases (28 tumors, 2 congenital malformations, and 1 mucocele) has been 19.4% with no permanent complications, no deaths, no new neurological deficits, no brain injuries, no infections, and no seizures. Minor complications without permanent sequelae included two cases of tension pneumocephalus, a subdural hygroma, two transient cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and a case of bacterial meningitis secondary to fecal contamination of a lumbar drain in a child. Average length of hospitalization was 7.1 days (range 2 to 16 days). The overall complication rate is considerably below the complication rate for other reported craniofacial procedures. We describe the technique we have used and the results. The subcranial approach as described herein provides wide exposure of the anterior cranial base without brain retraction, does not require prolonged operating times or hospitalization, and has a potentially lower complication rate than reported for other transfrontal transbasal approaches.
AB - The authors have successfully utilized a modified subcranial approach to the anterior skull base, based upon the procedure first described by Joram Raveh, as an alternative to standard craniofacial resection. The complication rate of this procedure in 31 consecutive cases (28 tumors, 2 congenital malformations, and 1 mucocele) has been 19.4% with no permanent complications, no deaths, no new neurological deficits, no brain injuries, no infections, and no seizures. Minor complications without permanent sequelae included two cases of tension pneumocephalus, a subdural hygroma, two transient cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and a case of bacterial meningitis secondary to fecal contamination of a lumbar drain in a child. Average length of hospitalization was 7.1 days (range 2 to 16 days). The overall complication rate is considerably below the complication rate for other reported craniofacial procedures. We describe the technique we have used and the results. The subcranial approach as described herein provides wide exposure of the anterior cranial base without brain retraction, does not require prolonged operating times or hospitalization, and has a potentially lower complication rate than reported for other transfrontal transbasal approaches.
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U2 - 10.1055/s-2008-1058155
DO - 10.1055/s-2008-1058155
M3 - Article
C2 - 17171124
AN - SCOPUS:0032974484
SN - 1052-1453
VL - 9
SP - 95
EP - 100
JO - Skull Base Surgery
JF - Skull Base Surgery
IS - 2
ER -