Anterior skull base surgery: open versus endoscopic

Abstract

Purpose of review: Anterior cranial base surgery is undergoing a revolution in minimally invasive techniques. Both open, microscopic and transnasal endoscopic approaches have gained considerable attention in the last few years. The purpose of the current article is to evaluate recent advances in open and endoscopic approaches to the anterior skull base.

Recent findings: Recent data have evaluated the endoscopic anatomy of the skull base, defined surgical corridors, addressed anatomical limitations to endoscopic skull base surgery, and discussed the limitations of skull base reconstruction. Over the same period of time, new surgical transcranial approaches have challenged the traditional operative corridors to the anterior skull base. In this study, the most recently published data pertaining to open and endoscopic approaches to the anterior cranial base are reviewed.

Summary: The data provide support for both open and endoscopic approaches to the anterior cranial base. Limitations to the approaches are discussed.