LAUSR

BACKGROUND The endoscope-assisted subtemporal key-hole epidural approach (ESKEA) has been recently described. The aim of this study was to measure working volumes and exposure of key areas of the middle cranial fossa (MCF) provided by this approach. METHODS Four fresh frozen cadaver heads were dissected to analyze 3 modular corridors (1A, 1B, and 2) harvested through ESKEA. A step-by-step dissection was performed, and key anatomical landmarks were recorded. GTxEyesII-ApproachViewer was used to quantify the working volume and exposure of 4 different regions (spheno-orbital, parasellar, superior petrous apex, and squamo-petrous). For each corridor, 3 incremental degrees of temporal dural retraction (5, 10, and 15 mm) were tested. RESULTS The working volume of all corridors progressively increased with degree of retraction: corridors 1A, 1B, and 2 showed a gain in working volume of 21%, 27%, and 19% from 5 mm to 10 mm retraction, respectively, and a gain of 40%, 45%, and 44% from 5 mm to 15 mm retraction, respectively. The spheno-orbital area was exposed (27-45%) through corridor 1A and exposure significantly increased with the degree of retraction. Corridor 1B provided optimal exposure of parasellar areas (86-100%) and superior petrous apex (70-87%) regardless of the degree of retraction. The squamo-petrous area was satisfactorily addressed through corridor 2 (88%) only with the highest degree of retraction. CONCLUSIONS ESKEA can be conceived as a modular approach: the three surgical corridors have specific working volumes, which are clearly influenced by the degree of temporal lobe retraction, and provide exposure of different MCF areas.