Abstract
Background The endonasal endoscope has become widely integrated into the operative practice
of skull-base surgeons. Although it is not the current standard of practice for the
drainage of intracranial abscesses, transnasal neuroendoscopy has the potential for
benefit over both stereotaxy and open craniotomy because it is minimally invasive
and provides a visual confirmation of debridement. We present two recent cases in
which patients with intradural abscesses adjacent to the anterior skull base were
successfully drained and irrigated using an endoscopic approach.
Case Two patients with post-traumatic intradural brain abscess underwent transnasal neuroendoscopic
drainage in a 1-year period. In both cases, the abscesses were drained and irrigated
without complication under direct visualization. The patients' outcomes were felt
to be positive given their initial insults.
Conclusion Transnasal endoscopic drainage of brain abscesses appears to be safe and has particular
advantages in specific cases over the current operative standard, which are likely
to prove beneficial for patients and cement it as a feasible alternative to stereotactic
aspiration and craniotomy.
Keywords
transnasal approach - minimally invasive - endoscopy - skull base
