title: Endoscopic extradural subtemporal approach to lateral and central skull base: a cadaveric study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Endoscopy has provided a less invasive approach to skull base surgery, mainly through endonasal routes, but has been limited in its applications due to potential complications. The aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of the purely endoscopic extradural transcranial approach to lateral and central skull base through a subtemporal keyhole and to better understand potential distortions of the related anatomy via endoscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten fresh cadaver heads were studied with 4-mm 0° and 30° endoscopes to develop the surgical approach and to identify surgical landmarks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The endoscopic extradural subtemporal approach was divided into 3 sections after exposure of the extradural space in the middle cranial fossa: 1) exposure of the lateral wall of the cavernous sinus and the preauricular infratemporal fossa; 2) anterior petrosectomy and posterior cranial fossa exploration; and 3) unroofing of the tympanic cavity and exposure of the facial nerve. This keyhole endoscopic technique clearly visualized anatomical landmarks of the lateral and central skull base via an extradural subtemporal route.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The endoscopic extradural subtemporal approach was feasible. This approach could display a wide range of lateral and central skull base structures with minimal invasiveness. The use of extradural space would be key to performing safe and effective endoscopic skull base surgery.
authors.affiliation: Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Systematic Anatomy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: fuminarikomatsu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fuminari
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Ieva
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tschabitscher
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D035301:Cranial Fossa, Middle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods*; D004210:Dissection; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D044583:Neuroendoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D019291:Skull Base / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*