Skull Base Approaches using Temporal Bone Drilling

Abstract

  Skull base approaches using temporal bone drilling are mandatory approaches for not only cerebellopontine angle tumors and skull base tumors, but also in clipping or bypass for posterior fossa lesions. The author selected the surgical approaches for 1,322 cerebellopontine angle tumors, and used three types of mastoidectomy and two types of combined transpetrosal approaches to avoid the risk of sigmoid sinus injury and losing the hearing function. In this article, skull base approaches, particularly the combined transpetrosal approach are described from a practical aspect using 3D images.