Endoscope-Assisted Middle Fossa Approach: Optimizing the Surgical Corridor for the Resection of Multicompartmental Chordomas.

Skull base chordomas are a major therapeutic challenge. The surgical management involves selecting an approach that will offer the patient the best chance of largest/complete removal while minimizing morbidity and mortality.  Medical records and imaging review of two skull base chordomas involving the middle fossa and posterior fossa that were successfully treated with an endoscope-assisted middle fossa approach.  The use of angled endoscopes provided better identification of anatomical landmarks and improved tumor resection when compared with the microscopic surgical exposure. The approach selection, anatomical landmarks, and technical aspects of the intraoperative setting of the endoscope-assisted approach are discussed.  Endoscopic assistance in the middle fossa approach is a safe and valuable tool for maximizing the reach of the surgical corridor when treating skull base chordomas.