title: Middle fossa transpetrosal approach for petroclival and brainstem tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to demonstrate the utility of the middle fossa transpetrosal approach with anterior petrosectomy for difficult-to-access petroclival and pontine lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case review in academic tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients for inclusion had pontine and prepontine lesions of the petroclival region. Middle fossa transpetrosal approach with anterior petrosectomy with excision or biopsy of the lesion was performed. The main outcome measure was postoperative neurologic status including motor and cranial nerve function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No patient experienced neuromuscular compromise or cranial nerve deficits as a direct result of the surgical procedure. Complications consisted of a subdural temporal lobe hemorrhage and one case of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The middle fossa transpetrosal approach with anterior petrosectomy was utilized for five patients with petroclival or pontine tumors. In this small series, it served well to spare cranial nerves and allowed avoidance of serious vascular injury. To our knowledge, this is the first reported use of this procedure for pontine venous angiomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Welling
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Miner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010579:Petrous Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed