Microsurgical Neurosurgery of the Skull Base

Author: Zhao Jiashan, Zhao Hongyang, Editors
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: Skull base surgery typically refers to the resection of tumors occurring at the brain base and/or skull base, as well as other surgical treatments involving this anatomical region, such as vascular damage and congenital abnormalities. Due to the deep location of skull base tumors, complex anatomical relationships, broad scope, and limitations imposed by imaging levels and surgical conditions, treating skull base lesions has been extremely challenging in the past. In recent years, with the development of electronic computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and the use of surgical microscopes, microscopic neurosurgical instruments, bipolar coagulation, high-speed microdrills, lasers, ultrasonic surgical aspirators, and intracranial endoscopy for the diagnosis and treatment of neurosurgical diseases, along with advancements in skull base microscopic anatomy and close collaboration between relevant departments, another branch of neurosurgery—skull base neurosurgery—has begun to form and gradually mature, becoming one of the most active fields in neurosurgery both domestically and internationally. Internationally, academic activities in this field are held annually, and specialized books on skull base surgery are published. In China, attention to this field has also grown in recent years. The Chinese Association of Surgery held two national skull base surgery academic seminars in Dandong City in 1995 and Lianyungang City in 1999. The main topics of discussion included surgical approaches for brainstem lesions, (slopes tumors), tumors of the medial part of the sphenoid ridge, skull-ethmoid-orbital communication tumors, pituitary adenomas, and craniopharyngiomas, as well as research on skull base microscopic anatomy. Currently, there are few specialized books on domestic skull base microscopic neurosurgery. Based on the clinical experience of the authors from the Department of Neurosurgery at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and combined with domestic and international literature, this book has been compiled with the hope of providing useful references for neurosurgeons. The book consists of twenty-seven chapters and approximately 300,000 words, written over a period of one year. Due to time constraints and the authors' limited knowledge, there may inevitably be shortcomings in the book. We sincerely welcome criticism and corrections from all colleagues.