Combined Transnasal and Transcranial Removal of a Giant Clival Chordoma

Abstract

Clival chordomas confront the surgeon with the task of resecting an aggressively invasive and destructive tumor in a critical surrounding. For many, mainly smaller, chordomas, the transnasal transclival approach is a feasible and safe surgical access. Larger tumors and especially those with extensive intradural, retrochiasmal, and/or deep cervical expansion are mostly approached by open craniotomy. Staged procedures are also commonly used in the case of expansive tumor growth. We present the first case of a single-session combined transnasal and transcranial approach to radically resect a large clival chordoma.

Keywords

endoscopy - chordoma - skull base - approach

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