Surgical management of petrous apex meningioma

Abstract

When centered in the petrous apex, meningiomas behave like other neoplasms occuring in that region. The petrous apex can be approached by several routes: posterior craniectomy; middle fossa craniectomy; translabyrinthine, transcochlear, and transethmoidosphenoid approaches. A patient harboring a malignant meningioma in her petrous apex is presented. A middle fossa craniectomy, coupled with posterior displacement of the facial nerve, allowed access to the entire temporal bone from above. The patient received postoperative irradiation.