Endoscopic endonasal transclival approach to a ventral pontine pediatric ependymoma

J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2013 Nov;12(5):465-8. doi: 10.3171/2013.8.PEDS12183. Epub 2013 Aug 30.

Abstract

The authors report a case of a recurrent pediatric ventral pontine ependymoma that they resected through an endonasal endoscopic transclival approach. Regarding the options for a surgical approach to ventral pontine tumors, traditional far-lateral approaches are associated with considerable morbidity due to the required muscle mobilization, brain retraction, and in-line obstruction of cranial nerves before reaching the target. The endoscopic endonasal transclival approach was made appealing by eliminating all of these concerns. The patient's fully pneumatized sphenoid sinus, laterally displaced basilar artery, and the direct ventral location of the bulky disease all further supported this unconventional choice of surgical corridor to achieve a palliative brainstem decompression of an incurable recurrence.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Basilar Artery
  • Brain Stem / pathology
  • Brain Stem / surgery
  • Brain Stem Neoplasms / pathology
  • Brain Stem Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Cranial Fossa, Posterior
  • Decompression, Surgical*
  • Ependymoma / pathology
  • Ependymoma / surgery*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / etiology
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Meningitis / etiology
  • Meningitis / therapy
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / surgery*
  • Neuroendoscopy*
  • Neurosurgical Procedures / adverse effects
  • Neurosurgical Procedures / methods*
  • Nose
  • Palliative Care / methods*
  • Reoperation / adverse effects
  • Sphenoid Sinus