The extradural minipterional pretemporal approach for the treatment of spheno-petro-clival meningiomas.

Abstract

Cavernous sinus and petroclival region is an anatomically complex region in close relationship with important neurovascular structures. As such, the surgical treatment of spheno-petro-clival (SPC) meningiomas represents an operative challenge, in which several routes and its combinations might be used. We describe in detail the surgical technique of the extradural minipterional pretemporal approach (eMPT-P) to the SPC region and highlight the main anatomical key elements involved in this approach as well as the technical aspects for avoiding surgical complications. The eMPT-P is a versatile approach that uses the extradural route, and thereby reduces brain retraction, while provides a good angle of exposure of the SPC region.