Unilateral Subfrontal Approach for Giant Tuberculum Sellae Meningioma: Single Center Experience and Review of the Literature

BackgroundMicrosurgical Transcranial approach (mTCA) is the primary choice for the resection of giant Tuberculum Sellae Meningiomas (TSM). The objective of this study is to explore surgical details of unilateral subfrontal approach.MethodsTen patients with giant TSM treated by unilateral subfrontal approach were included from January 2018 to June 2021. Demographic characteristics, surgical data, post-procedure complications and outcomes of patients have been descriptive analyzed, combined with systematic literature review to explore the surgical details and the prognosis of unilateral subfrontal approach.ResultsTen patients include six male and four females, age range from 35 to 77 years, duration of visual impairment from 1 to 12 months, were all performed unilateral subfrontal approach. Nine patients achieved radical resection (Simpson grades I-II) through post-operative imaging confirmation, and Simpson IV resection was performed in the remaining one due to cavernous sinus invasion. The postoperative visual acuity was improved or maintained in 8 patients. Visual acuity decreased in 2 cases, including 1 case of optic nerve atrophy and the other case of optic canal not opening. Five cases with frontal sinus opened were repaired during the operation and there was no postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage or intracranial infection. One patient suffered from postoperative anosmia, one patient developed left limb weakness, but their symptoms have improved in the follow-up.ConclusionSummarize the experience of our center and previous literature, unilateral forehead bottom craniotomy is a feasible surgical approach for giant tuberculum sellae meningioma. Intraoperative application of EC glue and pedicled fascia flap to repair the frontal sinus can prevent complications associated with frontal sinus opening. Optic canal unroofing has huge advantage in visual improvement.

Microsurgical Resection of Tuberculum Sellae Meningioma through Pterional Approach with Extradural Optic Canal Unroofing

Tuberculum sellae meningiomas pose significant challenges because they are surrounded by crucial neurovascular structures, such as the optic and oculomotor nerves, pituitary stalk, internal carotid artery and its branches, and the anterior cerebral arteries. Even if small, such meningiomas frequently extend to the optic canal that is considered a poor prognostic factor for vision. In this video clip, we illustrate the case of a 60-year-old female who had an approximately 3-cm tuberculum sellae meningioma with optic canal involvement. She underwent surgical resection of the tumor through a pterional approach. After extradural optic canal unroofing, detaching, devascularizing, and debulking the tumor, careful dissection of the meningioma from the surrounding tissues was performed. Next, the tumor extensions into both of the optic canals were removed. Finally, coagulation and resection of the tumor origin on the dura of the tuberculum sellae following Simpson's grade-I resection were performed. Histopathology revealed that the tumor was a World Health Organization (WHO) grade-I meningioma. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and her visual acuity was preserved, with no visual field defect on postoperative visual examination. In this video, the basic surgical techniques in performing extradural optic canal unroofing, preserving the arachnoid plane, and stay in collect layer, which is the essential technique for dissecting meningiomas and for preserving neurovascular structures, are demonstrated.The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/vD54Iji0C4Q.

How I do it: endoscopic endonasal resection of tuberculum sellae meningioma

Background Tuberculum sellae meningiomas (TSMs) adherent to neurovascular structures are particularly challenging lesions requiring delicate and precise microneurosurgery. There is an ongoing debate about the optimal surgical approach. Method We describe technical nuances and challenges in TSM resection using the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) in two cases of fibrous tumors with adherence to neurovascular structures. The cases are illustrated with a video (case 1) and figures (cases 1 and 2). Conclusion A dedicated team approach and precise microsurgical technique facilitate safe resection of complex TSMs through the EEA.

The expanded endoscopic endonasal approach for treatment of tuberculum sellae meningiomas in a series of 40 consecutive cases

Compared with traditional craniotomy, the expanded endoscopic endonasal approach (EEEA) may have some advantages for tuberculum sellae meningioma (TSM) treatment. We described our experience of the therapeutic effect of endoscopic TSM treatment. From August 2015 to December 2019, 40 patients with a TSM were treated by the EEEA in our institution. EEEA outcome in TSM treatment was analyzed. Among 39 patients with visual impairment, 38 (97.4%) improved their visual function to some extent after the EEEA, and one case had no significant change in visual acuity. Among all patients, 38 (95.0%) achieved gross total resection (GTR) and 2 (5.0%) achieved near-total resection (NTR). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage occurred in three patients (7.5%) and meningitis (post-CSF leakage) in two patients (5.0%). Eight patients (20.0%) suffered postoperative hyposmia, three of whom developed long-term hyposmia. One patient (2.5%) suffered from bleeding of the branch of the anterior cerebral artery intraoperatively leading to postoperative acute cerebral infarction. The EEEA is a safe and reliable minimally invasive method for TSM removal. Compared with traditional craniotomy, the EEEA may have better visual outcomes and a higher prevalence of GTR, but carries the risk of CSF leakage.

Supraorbital transciliary keyhole approach for removal of tuberculum sellae meningioma: 3D surgical video

Background: Tuberculum sellae meningiomas have an incidence from 5 to 10% of all intracranial meningiomas[2] and tend to be surgically difficult and challenging tumors given their proximity to important structures such as the internal carotid artery (ICA), anterior cerebral artery (ACA), and optic nerves.[3] Typically, their growth is posteriorly and superiorly oriented, thereby displacing the optic nerves and causing visual dysfunction, which is the primary indication for surgical treatment.[1] The main goals of the treatment are the preservation or restoration of visual abilities and a complete tumor resection.[1] Conventionally, surgical approaches to tuberculum meningiomas involve largely invasive extended bifrontal, interhemispheric, orbitozygomatic, pterional, and subfrontal eyebrow approaches. The supraorbital craniotomy, however, is a minimally invasive transcranial approach that offers a similar surgical corridor to conventional transcranial approaches, using a limited craniotomy and minimal brain retraction that can be used for tumoral and vascular pathologies,[4,5] offering added cosmetic outcomes.[1] We present the case of a patient undergoing a supraorbital transciliary craniotomy with a tuberculum sellae meningioma causing bitemporal hemianopsia. Case Description: A 70-year-old female with chronic headaches and progressive vision loss and visual field deficit for about 1 year. On ophthalmological evaluation, she was able to fixate and follow objects with each eye, light perception was only present in the right eye, and the vision in the left eye was 0.2 decimal units. Her visual fields demonstrated severe campimetric deficits. Her extraocular movements were intact and bilateral pupils were equal, round, and reactive to light. MRI of the brain demonstrated tuberculum sellae meningioma with bilateral optic canal invasion, displacing the chiasm, and extending ≥180° around the medial ICA wall and anterior ACA wall. The patient underwent supraorbital transciliary keyhole approach for total resection of the tumor. Postoperatively, visual acuity and visual field were significantly improved. Conclusion: Performing a supraorbital transciliary keyhole craniotomy for tuberculum sellae meningiomas requires an adequate and meticulous preoperative planning to determine the optimal surgical corridor to the lesion. The use of supraorbital craniotomy is safe with good cosmetic results and potentially lower morbidity allowing for adequate exposure, resection, and release of neurovascular structures.