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Objective: We examined the surgical approaches used at a single institution to treat petroclival meningioma and evaluated changes in method utilization over time., Methods: Craniotomies performed to treat petroclival meningioma between September of 1994 and July of 2005 were examined retrospectively. We reviewed 46 patients (mean follow-up, 3.6 yr). Techniques included combined petrosal or transcochlear approaches (15% of patients), retrosigmoid craniotomies with or without some degree of petrosectomy (59% of patients), orbitozygomatic craniotomies (7% of patients), and combined orbitozygomatic-retrosigmoid approaches (19% of patients). In 18 patients, the tumor extended supratentorially. Overall, the rate of gross total resection was 43%. Seven patients demonstrated progression over a mean of 5.9 years. No patients died. At 36 months, the progression-free survival rate for patients treated without petrosal approaches was 96%. Of 14 patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery, none developed progression., Conclusion: Over the study period, a diminishing proportion of patients with petroclival meningioma were treated using petrosal approaches. Utilization of the orbitozygomatic and retrosigmoid approaches alone or in combination provided a viable alternative to petrosal approaches for treatment of petroclival meningioma. Regardless of approach, progression-free survival rates were excellent over short-term follow-up period.

Objective: We examined the surgical approaches used at a single institution to treat petroclival meningioma and evaluated changes in method utilization over time., Methods: Craniotomies performed to treat petroclival meningioma between September of 1994 and July of 2005 were examined retrospectively. We reviewed 46 patients (mean follow-up, 3.6 yr). Techniques included combined petrosal or transcochlear approaches (15% of patients), retrosigmoid craniotomies with or without some degree of petrosectomy (59% of patients), orbitozygomatic craniotomies (7% of patients), and combined orbitozygomatic-retrosigmoid approaches (19% of patients). In 18 patients, the tumor extended supratentorially. Overall, the rate of gross total resection was 43%. Seven patients demonstrated progression over a mean of 5.9 years. No patients died. At 36 months, the progression-free survival rate for patients treated without petrosal approaches was 96%. Of 14 patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery, none developed progression., Conclusion: Over the study period, a diminishing proportion of patients with petroclival meningioma were treated using petrosal approaches. Utilization of the orbitozygomatic and retrosigmoid approaches alone or in combination provided a viable alternative to petrosal approaches for treatment of petroclival meningioma. Regardless of approach, progression-free survival rates were excellent over short-term follow-up period.

An 18-year-old female patient with unilateral hearing loss underwent evaluation with CT and MR imaging. A partially ossified, enhancing lesion in the bony labyrinth, with replacement of adjacent structures, was identified. Surgical biopsy revealed a meningioma arising primarily within the bony labyrinth. To our knowledge, this entity has not been previously described.

Objective: Cranial base approaches that involve radical petrosectomy are associated with significant rates of morbidity. We have sought alternative approaches to the midbasilar artery to reduce the extent of temporal bone removal and correspondingly to reduce complications while still providing adequate surgical exposure. The extended orbitozygomatic and far-lateral approaches are two such approaches. We compared our experience with these approaches to our experience with the standard transpetrosal approaches in the treatment of midbasilar artery aneurysms., Methods: Between 1990 and 1995, 28 patients with large and giant midbasilar artery aneurysms were treated with approaches involving either radical or conservative petrosectomy., Results: Overall, good outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale scores of 1 and 2) were observed in 21 patients (75%), and three patients (11%) had permanent treatment-associated neurological deficits. Four patients died. Later in the series, the pterional-subtemporal approach (four patients) was supplanted by the orbitozygomatic approach (six patients). The increased use of hypothermic circulatory arrest involved exposure of the midbasilar region from above (orbitozygomatic approach) and below (far-lateral approach, 13 patients). Concomitantly, the use of transpetrosal approaches (five patients) decreased., Conclusion: Modified orbitozygomatic and far-lateral approaches adequately expose the midbasilar region and can replace transpetrosal approaches in some cases. These extended approaches can be associated with lower morbidity rates than can transpetrosal approaches. Hypothermic circulatory arrest is critical to clipping large and giant midbasilar artery aneurysms directly when approaches that conserve the temporal bone are used.

Four patients underwent a far lateral-combined craniotomy procedure for extensive tumors of the clivus and craniocervical junction. Their presentation, operative, and clinical course are discussed. All patients had improved at their follow-up examination (mean follow-up, 10.7 months). This approach can now be applied to extensive tumors of the petroclival region and craniocervical junction to decrease morbidity.

A far lateral approach to the ventral brain stem, lower clivus, and anterior foramen magnum is described. Methods for further exposure of the superior petroclival region by incorporating a subtemporal craniotomy and posterior petrosectomy are also demonstrated. Eight sequentially illustrated steps depict this technique. The far lateral/combined supra- and infratentorial exposure is a comprehensive surgical approach that provides direct access to the entire anterior and lateral brain stem and craniovertebral junction. It minimizes brain-stem retraction and maximizes visualization of the neurovascular structures.

The combined supra- and infratentorial approach has been subdivided into three variations: the retrolabyrinthine technique (petrous bone resection with preservation of hearing); the translabyrinthine technique (greater petrous bone resection and sacrifice of hearing); and the transcochlear technique (maximum petrous drilling, sacrifice of hearing, and transposition of the facial nerve). These three variations maximize temporal bone drilling and therefore provide exquisite exposure of the clivus and petrous regions with minimal or no brain retraction. The superior petrosal sinus is always sacrificed and the tentorium completely cut. The sigmoid sinus can be transected or kept intact, depending on the venous drainage and the degree of exposure required. A series of 46 patients who underwent the combined approach is presented.

Sixty-one lid-loading procedure, performed by the author, were evaluated prospectively. Simple, gold weight implantation, combined with lower lid retractor recession, placement of fascia lata, and lateral tarsal strip tightening is effective for promoting voluntary closure and correction of lower lid paralytic ectropion. Placement of a heavier gold weight, in combination with mullerectomy, is a reliable new approach for mimicking involuntary blink without ptosis.

This article presents a series of 30 patients who underwent a combination of the subtemporal and posterior fossa approaches for exposure of lesions in the clivus or medial petrous region. This combined supra- and infratentorial approach is divided into three variations with progressively greater petrous bone resection to increase exposure of the clivus and medial petrous region. The approach has been divided into petrous bone resection with preservation of hearing (retrolabyrinthine), greater petrous bone resection with sacrifice of hearing (translabyrinthine), and finally maximum petrous drilling with sacrifice of hearing along with transposition of the facial nerve (transcochlear). Ninety-three percent of the cases returned to their premorbid occupations.

The authors report the unusual presentation of an intracranial extension of synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint. The patient presented with a peripheral facial nerve paralysis and anacusis. Computerized tomography revealed the lesion, but fine-needle biopsy was inconclusive. Craniotomy with removal of the tumor was performed, and pathological studies confirmed the diagnosis. The facial nerve dysfunction was thought to be secondary to direct neural compression.

Posterior fossa arachnoid cysts are more common than previously reported. While they may present with symptoms of hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus, often they are associated with vague, nonspecific complaints such as headache, dizziness, or generalized unsteadiness. We present five cases of posterior fossa arachnoid cysts discovered in adult patients. Four of the five patients had nonlocalizing symptoms (three of those sought medical evaluations for persistent dizziness and/or headache). Two patients had prolonged symptoms despite medical evaluation and normal audiometric testing before the correct diagnosis was made. We describe the case of our senior author (C.P.D.) in detail and include computerized tomographic and nuclear magnetic resonance studies outlining his pathology. A review of the management of these lesions is included. Dizzy patients and those patients with nonspecific complaints referable to the inner ear or posterior fossa who have normal audiometric testing, and in whom the index of suspicion is high, should have high resolution computerized tomography of the posterior fossa.