Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery: Analysis of the Results in the Author’s Initial 200 Cases

Abstract

Background Endoscopic endonasal approaches represent currently an important tool for approaching the skull base. The evolution of new techniques is based in the continuous acquisition of skills and abilities and it is paramount to determine the safety and effectiveness of new approaches. Based on that, the aim of this study is to analyze our results after the first 200 cases. Material and methods We performed a retrospective review of all cases operated on through an endoscopic endonasal approach in our Skull Base Unit, between January 2007 and May 2018. We analyze the results and all the per-operative complications associated. Results In this study we included 200 cases, comprising 105 female (52,2 %) and 95 male (47,5 %), with a mean age of 45,6 (range 21-85 years-old). The most commonly reported pathology was the pituitary adenoma, comprising 121 cases (60,5 %), followed by 13 meningocele (6,5 %), 9 chordoma (4,5 %), 6 skull base meningioma (3 %) and 7 cranyopharingioma (3,5 %). 161 cases (81 %) represented first surgery. The most frequently reported complication was diabetes insipidous in 17 % of all cases, followed by CSF leak, represented by 15 cases (7,5 %). 12 CSF leak cases were successfully treated by external lumbar draining and 3 patients required second surgery to skull base repair. In the last 50 cases, only one CSF leak has been reported, representing an incidence of 2 %, successfully treated by endoscopic repair. This decrease in CSF leak represents the impact of the learning curve in skull base reconstruction. 5 % of patients suffered meningitis and 5 % presented permanent anosmia. In our serie we reported 1,6 % of transient neurologic deficit represented by oculomotor palsy and 1,6 % of permanent neurologic deficit due to infarction. 3 patients in this serie has died, two due to malignant ICA occlusion and 1 due to infection (overall mortality 1,5 %). The most commonly used approach was the transsphenoidal transsellar approach (58 %), followed by transplanum-transtubercullum approach (8 %). Gross total resection was achieved in 76 % of tumoral pathology, 71 % in cases of pituitary adenomas. Conclusion From this review we can conclude that, in our serie, endoscopic endonasal surgeries represent safe approaches to the skull base to a huge variety of pathologies. Progressive acquisition of skills and experience is paramount to improve the results, avoiding and reducing complications. Appropriate patient and pathology selection is also mandatory.