• Hugo Andrade-Barazarte, Krunal Patel, Mazda K Turel, Francesco Doglietto, Anne Agur, Fred Gentili, Rachel Tymianski, Mendes PereiraVitorV1Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, and Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.4Division of Neuroradiology-Joint Department of Medical, Michael Tymianski, and Ivan Radovanovic.
• 1Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, and Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• J. Neurosurg. 2020 Mar 1; 132 (3): 884894884-894.

ObjectiveThe evolution of microsurgical and endoscopic techniques has allowed the development of less invasive transcranial approaches. The authors describe a purely endoscopic transpterional port craniotomy to access lesions involving the cavernous sinus and the anterolateral skull base.MethodsThrough single- or dual-port incisions and with direct endoscopic visualization, the authors performed an endoscopic transpterional port approach (ETPA) using a 4-mm straight endoscope in 8 sides of 4 formalin-fixed cadaveric heads injected with colored latex. A main working port incision is made just below the superior temporal line and behind the hairline. An optional 0.5- to 1-cm second skin port incision is made on the lateral supraorbital region, allowing multiangle endoscopic visualization and maneuverability. A 1.5- to 2-cm craniotomy centered over the pterion is done through the main port, which allows an extradural exposure of the cavernous sinus region and extra/intradural exposure of the frontal and temporal cranial fossae. The authors present a pilot surgical series of 17 ETPA procedures and analyze the surgical indications and clinical outcomes retrospectively.ResultsThe initial stage of this work on cadavers provided familiarity with the technique, standardized its steps, and showed its anatomical limits. The clinical ETPA was applied to gain access into the cavernous sinus, as well as for aneurysm clipping and meningioma resection. Overall, perioperative complications occurred in 1 patient (6%), there was no mortality, and at last follow-up all patients had a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 or 1.ConclusionsThe ETPA provides a less invasive, focused, and direct route to the cavernous sinus, and to the frontal and temporal cranial fossae, and it is feasible in clinical practice for selected indications with good results.

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