Direct and remote outcome after treatment of tumours involving the subtemporal fossa and related structures with the extended subtemporal approach.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to present our results of the surgical treatment of subtemporal fossa tumours and surrounding regions using the extended subtemporal approach.


METHODS
Twenty-five patients (10 women, 15 men) with subtemporal fossa tumours were included in the study. The neurological and performance status of the patients were assessed before and after surgery as well as at the conclu-sion of treatment. The approximate volume of the operated tumour, its relation to large blood vessels and cranial nerves, as well as consistency and vascularisation were assessed.


RESULTS
The symptom duration ranged from 2 to 80 months (mean: 14 months). In 44% of patients, headache was the predominant symptom. Less frequent symptoms were: paralysis of the abducent nerve and disturbances of the trigeminal nerve. Approximate volume of the tumours ranged from 13 to 169 cm3 (mean: 66 cm3). The most frequent histological diagnosis was meningioma (16%), followed by angiofibroma, neurinoma and adenocystic carcinoma (12%). Total or subtotal resection was achieved in 80% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The extended subtemporal approach allows for the removal of tumours of the subtemporal fossa and surrounding regions. This approach also allows one to remove tumours expanding in the regions surrounding the subtemporal fossa only. In such cases the subtemporal fossa constitutes the way of the surgical approach.
Ladziński
Piotr
P
Katedra i Oddział Kliniczny Neurochirurgii w Sosnowcu, Slaski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Katowicach. sekr_nch@wss5.pl
Majchrzak
Henryk
H
Szymczyk
Cezary
C
Kaspera
Wojciech
W
Maliszewski
Mariusz
M
Maciejewski
Adam
A
Wierzgoń
Janusz
J
Majchrzak
Krzysztof
K
Tymowski
Michał
M
Adamczyk
Piotr
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018322:Angiofibroma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002817:Chordoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland; D019291:Skull Base; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult