Between August 1987 and May 1989 five patients with petroclival meningiomas were operated on at the Neurosurgical Clinic of the Krankenhaus Nordstadt. Hannover, Germany, using an original combined supra- and infratentorial presigmoid sinus approach. There were two men and three women, ranging in age from 34 to 61 years (mean, 48 years; median, 46 years). Follow-up ranged between 1 and 22 months. There was no death. Postoperatively, two patients had no useful hearing, one had a permanent facial palsy (the facial nerve had to be sacrificed intraoperatively due to its involvement with tumor), one had a permanent abducens palsy (the VI nerve was involved with tumor and had to be cut). Temporary lower (IX to XII) cranial nerve palsy was observed in all the patients; temporary VI, in two patients; temporary VII, in two patients, temporary hemiparesis, in one patient, temporary gait ataxia, in three patients; and persistent gait ataxia, in one patient. All patients had total tumor removal as assessed at surgery and with postoperative enhanced computed tomography. Four patients were independent and able to carry on normal activity, and one patient was independent at home but not outside due to severe ataxia 4 months after the operation. The presigmoid sinus avenue to the petroclival region shortens the distance to the clivus, permits a multiangled exposure of this difficult surgical area, minimizes the amount of temporal lobe retraction, preserves the integrity of the transverse sinus, and allows for better preservation of the neurovascular structures. These factors translate into a high percentage of total tumor removal and a low incidence of permanent morbidity.
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