Tumors that occur at the base of the skull are among the most difficult to remove in neurosurgery. The current treatment method is to perform surgical removal using what is known as a microscopic anterior transpetrosal approach (ATPA).
A medical research team from Osaka Metropolitan University developed a new minimally invasive surgical technique called purely endoscopic subtemporal ATPA. The approach seeks to reduce the risk of postoperative damage and complications.
The endoscopic technique means that a smaller area of the skull needs to be surgically opened compared to the microscopic approach, an average of only 11.2 cm2 versus 33.9 cm2. The risk of brain damage is also reduced, the team members wrote in The Journal of Neurosurgery.
Between 2022 and 2023, the team performed 10 neurosurgeries using their method at Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital and compared the results with 13 surgeries using the microscopic ATPA between 2014 and 2021.
The endoscopic approach significantly reduced operative time, from an average of 410.9 minutes to 252.9 minutes. Similarly, blood loss decreased from a mean of 193 ml to 90 ml.
The degree of tumor resection (surgical removal) was as high as the microscopic method, while neurological functions were preserved at an equal or greater rate than with the conventional method.
"Comparison of the new endoscopic method and the conventional microscopic method showed no significant differences in the tumor resection rate or the ability to perform daily activities before and after surgery, and the new endoscopic approach resulted in shorter operative times and less blood loss," said Professor Takeo Goto, head of the varsity's Department of Neurosurgery.
"The widespread use of this surgical procedure is expected to improve the treatment outcomes of skull base brain tumors, not only in Japan but also worldwide," he added.
A medical research team from Osaka Metropolitan University developed a new minimally invasive surgical technique called purely endoscopic subtemporal ATPA. The approach seeks to reduce the risk of postoperative damage and complications.
The endoscopic technique means that a smaller area of the skull needs to be surgically opened compared to the microscopic approach, an average of only 11.2 cm2 versus 33.9 cm2. The risk of brain damage is also reduced, the team members wrote in The Journal of Neurosurgery.
Between 2022 and 2023, the team performed 10 neurosurgeries using their method at Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital and compared the results with 13 surgeries using the microscopic ATPA between 2014 and 2021.
The endoscopic approach significantly reduced operative time, from an average of 410.9 minutes to 252.9 minutes. Similarly, blood loss decreased from a mean of 193 ml to 90 ml.
The degree of tumor resection (surgical removal) was as high as the microscopic method, while neurological functions were preserved at an equal or greater rate than with the conventional method.
"Comparison of the new endoscopic method and the conventional microscopic method showed no significant differences in the tumor resection rate or the ability to perform daily activities before and after surgery, and the new endoscopic approach resulted in shorter operative times and less blood loss," said Professor Takeo Goto, head of the varsity's Department of Neurosurgery.
"The widespread use of this surgical procedure is expected to improve the treatment outcomes of skull base brain tumors, not only in Japan but also worldwide," he added.
