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Introduction The ability to resect malignancies of the ventral skull base using endoscopic endonasal approaches has created a need for effective endoscopic reconstructive techniques. The purpose of this review is to summarize current techniques for reconstruction of large skull base defects during endoscopic endonasal surgery.MethodsRecent medical literature was reviewed to identify techniques and best practices for repair of skull base defects during endoscopic endonasal surgery. Preference was given to evidence-based recommendations.Results Superior results are observed with multilayer inlay/onlay grafts supplemented with vascularized flaps. The nasoseptal flap is the primary reconstructive flap for most defects; secondary choices include the lateral nasal wall flap and extracranial pericranial flap. Clival defects are particularly challenging and are further augmented with adipose tissue to prevent pontine herniation.Perioperative management including the use of lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage minimizes the risk of a postoperative leak in high-risk patients. Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks are managed similarly to primary leaks and may require use of a secondary vascularized flap. Complications of reconstructive flaps include flap necrosis and cosmetic nasal deformity.ConclusionLarge defects of the anterior, middle, and posterior cranial fossae can be managed similarly by adhering to basic principles of reconstruction. Future developments will improve stratification of patients into reconstructive groups and allow tailored reconstructive algorithms. New biomaterials may replace autologous tissue and facilitate endoscopic repair. Improved monitoring will allow for assessment of the reconstructive site with early detection and repair of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks.

Reconstruction of the cranial base using vascularized tissue promotes rapid and complete healing, thus avoiding complications caused by persistent communication between the cranial cavity and the sinonasal tract. The Hadad-Bassagasteguy flap (HBF), a neurovascular pedicled flap of the nasal septum mucoperiosteum and mucoperichondrium based on the nasoseptal artery, seems to be advantageous for the reconstruction of the cranial base after endonasal cranial base surgery. We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent endonasal cranial base surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center from January 30, 2006 to January 30, 2007, identifying patients who experienced reconstruction with a vascularized septal mucosal flap (HBF). We analyzed the demographic data, pathological characteristics, site and extent of resection, use of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion techniques, and outcome. Seventy-five patients who underwent endonasal cranial base endoscopic surgery received repair with the HBF. In this population, we encountered eight postoperative CSF leaks (10.66%), all in patients who required intra-arachnoidal dissection. When we correct the statistical analysis to include only patients with intra- arachnoidal lesions, the postoperative CSF leak rate is 14.5% (eight of 55 patients). It is notable that six CSF (33%) leaks occurred in our first 25 repairs, whereas we encountered only two postoperative leaks (4%) in the last 50 patients. The corrected CSF leak rate, considering only intra-arachnoidal lesions, was two (5.4%) of 37 patients. This improvement in the CSF leak rate reflects our growing experience and comfort with this reconstructive technique. All of our failures could be matched to a specific technical mistake. In addition, we modified the flap-harvesting technique to allow for staged procedures and the removal of caudal lesions. These special circumstances require storage of the flap in the antrum during the removal of caudal lesions, and suturing of the flap in its original position for staged procedures. One patient experienced a posterior nose bleed from the posterior nasal artery. This was controlled with bipolar electrocautery, thereby preserving the flap blood supply. We encountered no infectious or wound complications in this series of patients. The donor site accumulates crusting, which requires debridement until mucosalization is complete; this usually occurs 6 to 12 weeks after surgery. The HBF is a versatile and reliable reconstructive technique for repairing defects of the anterior, middle, clival, and parasellar cranial base. Its use has resulted in a significant decrease in our incidence of CSF leaks after endonasal cranial base surgery. Attention to technical details is of paramount importance to achieve the best outcomes.

The endonasal route may be feasible for the resection of anterior cranial base tumors that abut the paranasal sinuses. There are several case reports and mixed case series discussing this approach. Other than pituitary adenomas, there is a lack of literature describing the outcomes of endonasal approaches for single-tumor types such as meningiomas. In this study, we describe our current endoscopic endonasal technique and demonstrate the feasibility of using it to access anterior cranial base meningiomas from the back wall of the frontal sinus to the sella and laterally to the region of the midorbit. After this discussion, which includes key technical considerations and nuances, we address safety and efficacy by reporting the outcomes of our early experience with endoscopic endonasal resection of 35 anterior cranial base meningiomas. A total of 35 patients underwent endoscopic endonasal resection of anterior cranial base meningiomas from October 2002 to October 2005. Degree of resection by tumor location was as follows: 10 of the 12 (83%) patients with olfactory groove meningiomas planned for complete resection underwent gross total (seven of 12) or near-total (>95%) (three of 12) resection (67% of all 15 olfactory tumors); 12 of 13 patients (92%) with tuberculum meningiomas underwent gross (11 of 13) or near (>95%) (one of 13) total resection; five patients diagnosed with petroclival meningiomas had successful resection of the parasellar portion of their tumors with relief of visual symptoms (no patients underwent complete resection of their tumors via the endoscopic, endonasal approach); two giant petroclival meningiomas were debulked with 63 and 89% resection, respectively.All patients experienced resolution or improvement of visual symptoms. No patient experienced permanent worsening of vision after surgery. Only one (3%) patient without preoperative endocrine dysfunction experienced a new, permanent pituitary deficit, diabetes insipidus. One (3%) patient experienced a new neurological deficit after experiencing a hemorrhage 3 weeks after surgery. The postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak rate was 40% (14 of 35) and varied by tumor location. All leaks were resolved without craniotomy. There were no cases of bacterial meningitis. One patient developed a superinfection of a sterile granuloma from a sinusitis 2 years after surgery. There were two cases of deep venous thrombosis and one pulmonary embolus. There were no operative or perioperative deaths. Cranial base meningiomas can be successfully managed via a purely endoscopic endonasal approach with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates. The extent of resection is guided by patient factors and symptoms, not by approach. This series had a high cerebrospinal fluid leak rate. With the evolution of new reconstruction techniques, these rates have been substantially reduced.

Over the past 10 years, significant anatomic, technical, and instrumentation advances have facilitated the exposure and resection of intradural lesions via a fully endoscopic expanded endonasal approach (EEA). The vascularized nasoseptal flap (based on the posterior nasoseptal artery) has become our primary endoscopic reconstructive technique. The goals of this study are to prospectively evaluate the nasoseptal flap and high-risk cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) leak variables. Prospective evaluation was performed of EEA patients with intraoperative high-flow leaks (either a cistern or ventricle open to nasal cavity during tumor dissection) who underwent nasoseptal flap reconstruction. Seventy consecutive nasoseptal flaps for high-flow intraoperative leaks were evaluated prospectively by the primary author. Twelve risk factors were then graded at the time of the operations and correlated to CSF leak outcomes. The overall postoperative CSF leak rate was 5.7% (4/70). All four postoperative leaks were successfully managed with endoscopic repair and CSF diversion. A multivariate analysis of all 12 risk factors is detailed. Pediatric patients, large dural defects, and radiation therapy were noted to be factors in reconstructive failure. One flap death occurred in a patient with prior surgery and proton therapy, this leak was managed with a temporoparietal flap and endonasal repair. The nasoseptal flap is an excellent anterior skull base reconstructive technique. Patients with high-flow intraoperative CSF leaks had a 94% successful reconstruction rate. Patients with skull base proton radiation therapy are at higher risk for flap failure and preparation for nonradiated tissue reconstruction should be discussed with the patient.

Background: Pituitary adenomas represent the most common pituitary disorder, with an estimated prevalence as high as 20%, and they can manifest with hormone hypersecretion or deficiency, neurological symptoms from mass effect, or incidental findings on imaging. Transsphenoidal surgery, performed either microscopically or endoscopically, allows for a better extent of resection while minimising the associated risk in comparison to the transcranial approach. Endoscopy allows for better visualisation and improvement in tumour resection with an improved working angle and less nasal morbidity, making it likely to become the preferred surgical treatment for pituitary neoplasms. The learning curve can be aided by telementoring. Methods: We retrospectively analysed the clinical records of 94 patients who underwent an endoscopic endonasal resection of a pituitary neoplasm between the years 2011 and 2023 at Maribor University Medical Centre in Slovenia. Remote surgical telementoring over 3 years assisted with the learning curve. Results: The proportion of complication-free patients significantly increased over the observed period (60% vs. 79%). A gradual but insignificant increase in the percentage of patients with improved endocrine function was observed. Patients’ vision improved significantly over the observed period. By gaining experience, the extent of gross total tumour resection increased insignificantly (67% vs. 79%). Conclusions: Telementoring for the endoscopic endonasal approach to pituitary neoplasms enables low-volume centres to achieve efficiency, decreasing rates of postoperative complications and increasing the extent of tumour resection.

This study reports the combined experience of the University of Miami and University of Pittsburgh with endoscopic endonasal resection of esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB). A retrospective case series review was performed in a tertiary care university hospital. Twenty-three patients, 16 men and 7 women, were reviewed. Mean age was 56.6 years (15-79 years). Nineteen patients received primary endoscopic endonasal anterior skull base resection. Of these, the modified Kadish stage at presentation was A in 2 patients, B in 11 patients, C in 5 patients, and D in 1 patient. Three patients had revision surgeries for recurrent tumors. The main outcome measures were complete resection and margin assessment, short-term and long-term complications, and recurrence rate. Complete resection and negative intraoperative resection margins were achieved endoscopically in 17 of the primarily treated cases. The two other cases had one patient that required an additional craniotomy approach to complete the resection of a positive lateral dual margin, another patient had positive margins at the orbital apex. All patients tolerated the endoscopic procedure very well with no meningitis. There were four cerebral spinal fluid leaks. Mean follow-up period for the primarily treated cases was 45.2 months (11-152 months), all were disease free at the most recent available follow-up. In experienced hands and carefully selected patients, endoscopic resection of ENB respects the principles of oncologic surgery, providing an adequate exposure for margin assessment as well as reliable reconstruction of the anterior skull defect with a relatively low morbidity.

Background Immunoglobulin-G4-related hypophysitis is a rare inflammatory disease that can present as a tumefactive pituitary lesion mimicking hypophyseal neoplasms such as pituitary adenoma or craniopharyngioma. The literature on this entity is sparse, with fewer than 100 cases reported across 19 publications; a recent review found only 24 cases published from 2007 to 2018. Previous reports have described demographic differences, with immunoglobulin-G4-related hypophysitis in females tending to present in the second and third decades in association with other autoimmune disease, while males tend to present in the fifth and sixth decades of life without an autoimmune history. Case presentation In contrast to the reported demographic trends, here we describe a unique case of immunoglobulin-G4-related hypophysitis in a 63-year-old white female with no history of autoimmune disease who presented with a rapidly enlarging sellar and hypothalamic mass causing headaches and cranial nerve palsies, prompting biopsy for diagnosis. The patient experienced rapid response to treatment with high-dose steroids and rituximab. Conclusion The case contributes to the growing clinicopathologic description of immunoglobulin-G4-related hypophysitis and illustrates that this diagnosis should be a consideration even outside the conventional demographic setting.

The vidian nerve is a landmark for safe identification of the petrous internal carotid artery during endonasal endoscopic approaches (EEAs) to the skull base. The surgical technique classically described involves sacrifice of the nerve. To demonstrate the feasibility of vidian nerve transposition during EEA. After exposure of the vidian canal aperture, the bone is removed along its inferior and medial aspect. Once the depth is understood, determining the position of the internal carotid artery, the bone superior to the vidian nerve is drilled. The vidian nerve can then be transposed from its canal and retracted superiorly, allowing the drill to come inferiorly and to remove the bone lateral to the nerve, finalizing freedom around the vidian nerve. Four patients underwent EEA with vidian transposition. a 20-year-old woman presented with partial numbness on the left side of the face and some tingling in the face, particularly inside her mouth. Magnetic resonance imaging scans demonstrated a Meckel cave tumor compatible with a left-side trigeminal schwannoma. EEA to the Meckel cave was performed and the vidian nerve was transposed. The tumor was totally resected and the vidian nerve preserved. The patient was discharged home in 2 days, stating improvement in facial sensation without new neurological deficits and denying dry eye. The patient was asymptomatic at the 9-month follow-up. None of the 4 patients who underwent this procedure complained of dry eye during the postoperative period. The vidian nerve transposition for EEAs to the skull base is an alternative technique that is feasible and conservative. It seems to be a good option that could prove beneficial to the quality of life of patients after surgery.

BACKGROUND:Injury to the internal carotid artery (ICA) during endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery is a feared complication that is not well studied or reported. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the incidence, to identify potential risk factors, and to present management strategies and outcomes of ICA injury during endonasal skull base surgery at our institution. METHODS:We performed a retrospective review of all endoscopic endonasal operations performed at our institution between 1998 and 2011 to examine potential factors predisposing to ICA injury. We also documented the perioperative management and outcomes after injury. RESULTS:There were 7 ICA injuries encountered in 2015 endonasal skull base surgeries, giving an incidence of 0.3%. Most injuries (5 of 7) involved the left ICA, and the most common diagnosis was chondroid neoplasm (chordoma, chondrosarcoma; 3 of 7 [2% of 142 cases]). Two injuries occurred during 660 pituitary adenoma resections (0.3%). The paraclival ICA segment was the most commonly injured site (5 of 7), and transclival and transpterygoid approaches had a higher incidence of injury, although neither factor reached statistical significance. Four of 7 injured ICAs were sacrificed either intraoperatively or postoperatively. No patient suffered a stroke or neurological deficit. There were no intraoperative mortalities; 1 patient died postoperatively of cardiac ischemia. One of the 3 preserved ICAs developed a pseudoaneurysm over a mean follow-up period of 5 months that was treated endovascularly. CONCLUSION:ICA injury during endonasal skull base surgery is an infrequent and manageable complication. Preservation of the vessel remains difficult. Chondroid tumors represent a higher risk and should be resected by surgical teams with significant experience. ABBREVIATIONS:EES, endoscopic nasal surgeryICA, internal carotid artery

Purpose To report the results of a consecutive series of patients who underwent an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for resection of a pituitary adenoma and compare them to previous series of microscopic and endoscopic approaches. Methods A retrospective review of clinical and radiographic outcomes of a consecutive series of patients operated at our center between 2002 and 2011 was performed. Results 555 patients underwent an EEA for removal of a pituitary adenoma. The mean follow up was 3.1 years (range 3 months to 9.5 years); 36 were lost to follow up. Ninety-one (17.5 %) harbored recurrent adenomas. An expanded approach to reach the supra-, para- and infra-sellar spaces was employed in 290 patients (55.9 %). Reconstruction with a nasal septal flap was used in 238 cases (65.6 %). The rate of gross total resection was 65.3 % in the 359 patients with non-functioning adenomas. The remission rates with EEA alone were 82.5 % in the 57 ACTH-secreting adenomas, 65.3 % in the 49 GH-secreting adenomas and 54.7 % in the 53 prolactinomas. Of the 237 patients presenting with visual loss, 190 (80.2 %) improved or normalized, 41 (17.3 %) remained unchanged and 4 (1.7 %) experienced transient visual deterioration due to postoperative apoplexy. In addition, no patient without preexisting visual loss suffered new visual decline. The overall post-operative CSF leak rate was 5 % and this decreased to 2.9 % after the introduction of reconstruction with the naso-septal flap. Two patients (0.3 %) had an ICA injury. Conclusions The EEA is a safe and effective way to surgically approach pituitary adenomas, particularly in recurrent tumors, those with supra-sellar extension or cavernous sinus invasion. The remission and complication rates are comparable or favorable compared with those reported in previous series of microscopic and endoscopic approaches.