title: Far lateral supracerebellar infratentorial approach for the treatment of upper brainstem gliomas: clinical experience with pediatric patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Surgical exposure of intrinsic lesions located lateral to the brainstem still represents a challenging task. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of the extracerebral far lateral supracerebellar infratentorial (FLSI) approach for the treatment of gliomas located in the upper brainstem in the pediatric population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1992 and 2002, seven patients (mean age 8.7 years) with tumors of glial origin (WHO I-IV) located mainly in the pontomesencephalic region were operated with the FLSI approach in a sitting position. Satisfactory extent of resection without additional morbidity was achieved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a carefully selected pediatric patient population, the FLSI approach proved to be a feasible and effective surgical route for the treatment of upper brainstem gliomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Neurocenter, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Breisacherstrasse 64, 79106, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
authors.forename: Vassilios I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Vougioukas
authors.forename: Heymut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Omran
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gläsker
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Van Velthoven
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome