OBJECTIVE To measure the effect of routine perioperative lumbar drain placement during anterior skull base surgery on the frequency of: 1) tension pneumocephalus and 2) total intracranial complications. DESIGN Retrospective review of a series of patients (n = 161) who underwent the transglabellar/subcranial approach to lesions of the anterior skull base between December 1995 and November 2009...

The skull base surgery is one of the most demanding surgeries. There are different structures that can be injured easily, by operating in the skull base. It is very important for the neurosurgeon to choose the right approach in order to reach the lesion without harming the other intact structures. Due to the pioneering work of Cushing, Hirsch, Yasargil, Krause, Dandy and other dedicated neurosu...

Reconstruction of the anterior skull base is one of the greatest challenges for reconstructive surgeons. Sometimes, the defect is so large that a local flap is insufficient for the reconstruction. In this report, we present a case of malignant meningioma of the anterior skull base. The tumor was treated by surgical excision resulting in a large defect from the anterior skull base to the nasal c...

A 42-year-old woman presented with symptoms of left-sided nasal obstruction, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea, and frequent sinus infections. Radiologic investigation revealed a tumor destructing the left cribriform plate and forming opacifications in the olfactory area. She had left-sided submucosal meningocele, deviating the septum to the right side. Intracranial involvement was not obser...

BACKGROUND Here, we introduced our short experience on the application of a new CUSA Excel ultrasonic aspiration system, which was provided by Integra Lifesciences corporation, in skull base meningiomas resection. METHODS Ten patients with anterior, middle skull base and sphenoid ridge meningioma were operated using the CUSA Excel ultrasonic aspiration system at the Neurosurgery Department of...

introduction: skull-based osteomyelitis is bony infection which generally originates from inadequately treated chronic infection, adjoining tissue infection or after trauma.case: 11 month female child had a trivial fall while standing near a bucket. the child developed fracture of right clavicle and left orbital swelling which was inadequately treated. this resulted in in spread of infection to...