This article aims to assess the application of skull- base approaches and
their results in the management of different skull-base pathology in Al-
Muwasat university hospital in Damascus.
Different approaches to the skull base (Supraorbital, Crani
oOrbito-
Zygomatic, Extended middle fossa, Petrosal and Transcondylar) were used
according to the pathology and site of the lesion.
This study included 96 meningiomas treated between the years of 1999 and
2003 .
The age of patients was between 18-80 years ,with a mean age of 49.16 years.
Females constituted 65.6% of the patients ,while males constituted 34.4%.
Large percent o
f cases was between 4th to 6th decade of age, ( 56, 2% of all
patients).
Signs of raised intracranial pressure dominated the clinical picture
presenting in 62% of patients, while epilepsy was the only symptom in 15%
of the patients . MRI was performed in 81% of patients. The other
patients were diagnosed by CT scan.
Tumors were hemispheral in 74% of patients. The operating microscope
and ultrasonic aspirator were used in 85% of cases.15% of tumors were
removed using the classical methods,
Total removal was achieved in 90% of cases. Clinical improvement was seen
in 60.45 of cases while deterioration was seen in only 5.2% of cases.
Complications included cerebral edema in five patients, and tumor
recurrence in 5.2% of cases. Tumors were benign in 88%.Mortality was
2%.