title: [Therapeutic effect of far lateral approach on the lesions located ventral to cranial-cervical junction].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the administration of far-lateral approach in lesions located anterior or anterolateral to brain stem and upper cervical spinal cord.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients underwent far lateral approach, including 12 retrocondylar approach, 5 partial transcondylar approach, 3 transfacetal and partial transcondylar approach, 2 transtubercular approach and 1 complete transcondylar approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total tumor removal was achieved in 15 patients, subtotal removal in 5 patients, 3 vertibral artery aneurysms were clipped successfully, 3 patients were given occipitalcervical fusion. There was no operative mortality. The most frequent complications were lower cranial nerve deficit, CSF leakage, injury to vertibral artery, and ischemia of brain stem, cerebellum or spinal cord. No patient presented clinical instability of the occipitocervical junction after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The far-lateral approach is an ideal approach to structures located ventral to cranial-cervicle junction. But some of the surgical steps are technically difficult and carry some degree of risk. The choice of approach depends on the pathological feature and degree of exposure required for effective surgical treatment. Bone removal should be quantified for individual lesion. The approach may be limited to less aggressive steps, while still achieving significant exposure and surgical space.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Bo-wen
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ke-gang
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Shuai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery*; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000601:surgery; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000601:surgery