Evolution of surgical approaches in the treatment of petroclival meningiomas: a retrospective review.

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.