Skull base surgery

• Tumours of the skull base (anterior, middle and posterior fossa)
• Neurinomas (benign tumours of the brain veins)
• Meningiomas (tumours of the meninges)
• Tumours of the paranasal sinuses and olfactory fibres (e.g. carcinomas, esthesioneuroblastomas)
• Tumours of the orbit (eye socket)
• Skull base injuries (after accident, surgery, radiotherapy)

• Transcranial (opening of the skull), open microsurgery, possibly endoscopic-assisted surgery
• Transsphenoidal (through the nose), endoscopic-assisted surgery

Patients with complex tumours or malformations of the skull base structures or following complicated trauma are usually discussed at the weekly skull base conference. The skull base surgeons from neurosurgery, ENT, maxillofacial surgery, ophthalmology and colleagues from radiotherapy and neuroradiology come together to decide on a joint treatment strategy.

Sometimes complex tumours can only be partially removed due to their location and relationship to important anatomical structures such as major vessels or cranial nerves. Further follow-up and, if necessary, further radiotherapy will also be decided at the skull base conference. In such cases, there are close links with the outpatient clinics of the relevant disciplines.