Pediatric skull base surgery. 1. Embryology and developmental anatomy

Abstract

Surgical pathology of the pediatric cranial base is uncommon, but in affected children, traditional operative techniques and management philosophies predominate. While the creation of multidisciplinary skull base teams synergistically pools the talents of individual specialties, a better understanding of the developmental anatomy of the cranial base becomes essential in order for such teams to safely implement these approaches in children. The extant neurosurgical literature lacks a comprehensive review of this anatomy. This report discusses the developmental anatomy and embryology of the cranial base within the context of specific surgical approaches. Detailed development of the calvaria, midface skeleton and orbit is excluded.