Endoscopic Endonasal Minimal Access Approach to the Clivus

Abstract

The endoscopic endonasal transclival approach is a novel minimal-access method of managing clival pathology. Limited cases have been published. To summarize our clinical experience with this approach and discuss technical nuances. We retrospectively reviewed a prospective database of 250 endoscopic, endonasal skull base surgeries. Patients in whom a transclival approach was performed were identified. Extent of resection, complications, and clinical outcome were analyzed. Seventeen patients underwent 21 procedures. Pathology included chordoma, meningioma, hemangiopericytoma, enterogenous cyst, epidermoid, and metastasis. Lumbar drain was placed intraoperatively in 9 cases and maintained for approximately 2 days postoperatively. Mean operative time was 252.8 minutes. Intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak occurred in 10 cases. Greater than 95% resection was achieved in 11 of 12 cases (92%) in which it was the surgical goal. The risk of postoperative CSF leak was 4.8% for all procedures, 9.1% for procedures with large skull base defect, and 0% if a gasket-seal closure was achieved. A nasoseptal flap was used in 2 patients. There was one perioperative infarct, one case of deep vein thrombosis, and one postoperative pulmonary embolus. Mean follow-up was 8.5 months. All but one patient with preoperative cranial nerve deficits improved at last follow-up. All patients were free of disease progression at last follow-up. The endonasal endoscopic transclival approach provides a minimal-access approach to the ventral midline posterior fossa skull base. The risk of CSF leak is low if appropriate closure techniques are applied.