The supraorbital keyhole approach with eyebrow incisions for treating lesions in the anterior fossa and sellar region.
BACKGROUND
Keyhole surgery has developed since the 1990s as a less invasive therapeutic strategy for intracranial lesions, initially for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the results of surgical treatment of lesions in the anterior fossa and sellar region via a supraorbital keyhole approach using eyebrow incisions.


METHODS
Between April 1994 and July 2003, 54 patients with lesions in the anterior fossa and sellar region were operated on via the supraorbital keyhole approach. The surgical results were studied retrospectively and compared with that of patients with lesions at the same locations but treated via a conventional subfrontal approach.


RESULTS
No significant difference in curative effect was found between the conventional subfrontal approach and the supraorbital keyhole approach. However, the supraorbital approach required a much smaller skin incision, causing less surgical trauma, while achieving excellent surgical exposure and good recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
The supraorbital keyhole approach using an eyebrow incision is safe, effective, and both suitable and convenient for treating lesions in the anterior fossa and sellar region, with almost no adverse consequences on the facial features of patients.
Zhang
Mao-zhi
MZ
Department of Neurosurgery, Tiantan Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, China. qwttyy@vip.sina.com
Wang
Lei
L
Zhang
Wei
W
Qi
Wei
W
Wang
Rong
R
Han
Xiao-di
XD
Zhao
Ji-zong
JZ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D035262:Cranial Fossa, Anterior; D005138:Eyebrows; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D009915:Orbit; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*