• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.174-183
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• 2022

Management of traumatic skull base fractures and associated complications pose a unique reconstructive challenge. The goals of skull base reconstruction include structural support for the brain and orbit, separation of the central nervous system from the aerodigestive tract, volume to decrease dead space, and restoration of the three-dimensional appearance of the face and cranium with bone and soft tissues. An open bicoronal approach is the most commonly used technique for craniofacial disassembly of the bifrontal region, with evacuation of intracranial hemorrhage and dural repair performed prior to reconstruction. Depending on the defect size and underlying patient and operative factors, reconstruction may involve bony reconstruction using autografts, allografts, or prosthetics in addition to soft tissue reconstruction using vascularized local or distant tissues. The vast majority of traumatic anterior cranial fossa (ACF) injuries resulting in smaller defects of the cranial base itself can be successfully reconstructed using local pedicled pericranial or galeal flaps. Compared with historical nonvascularized ACF reconstructive options, vascularized reconstruction using pericranial and/or galeal flaps has decreased the rate of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak from 25 to 6.5%. We review the existing literature on this uncommon entity and present our case series of n = 6 patients undergoing traumatic reconstruction of the ACF at an urban Level 1 trauma center from 2016 to 2018. There were no postoperative CSF leaks, mucoceles, episodes of meningitis, or deaths during the study follow-up period. In conclusion, use of pericranial, galeal, and free flaps, as indicated, can provide reliable and durable reconstruction of a wide variety of injuries.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.57-60
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• 2008

The authors herein propose the staged excision as a novel strategy to preserve facial nerve and minimize complication during microsurgery of large vestibular schwannoma (VS). At the first stage, for reducing mass effect on the brain stem and cerebellum, subtotal tumor resection was performed via a retrosigmoid craniotomy without intervention of meatal portion of tumor. With total resection of the remaining tumor, the facial nerve was decompressed and delineated during the second stage translabyrinthine approach at a later date. A 38-year-old female who underwent the staging operation for resection of her huge VS is illustrated.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.910-917
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• 2000

Introduction : The management of chordomas and chondrosarcomas in the skull base is difficult due to the critical location, locally aggressive nature, and high recurrence rate. The authors present the effectiveness of surgical removal and radiation therapy on survival and tumor recurrence. Material and Methods : Thirty cranial base chordomas and chondrosarcomas from 23 patients(14 patients with chordomas and 9 patients with chondrosarcomas) were operated in our institution between 1985 and 1998. There were 15 men and 8 women, with a mean age of 40.7 years. The largest diameter of tumors ranged from 15 to 70mm (mean 41.5). The extent of surgical removal was subtotal or total in a half(15 operations). In nineteen operations, tumors were removed by conventional approaches and skull base approaches were applied in 11 operations. Postoperative radiation therapy was performed in 16(70%) patients. The mean duration of follow up is 50 months(1- 156 months). Results : The 3- and 5-year survival rates(YSR) of overall patient are 75% and 67%, respectively. The analysis showed that 1) skull base approach to chordomas and chondrosarcomas showed a tendency to remove more portion of the tumors(p＝0.058) but leave more frequent incidence of new deficits(p＝0.047) : 2) larger tumor diameter af-fected the extent of removal(p＝0.028) : 3) the extent of removal seemed to be the determining factor for overall survival and recurrence-free survival(the 5-YSR and RFSR of subtotal or total removal group are 92% and 80% vs. 40% of partial removal or biopsy group) : 4) conventional radiation therapy improved patient survival(5-YSR of patients who received RT is 76% whereas 5-YSR of those who didn't receive RT is 43%) but failed to prolong long-term recurrence-free survival. Conclusion : The extent of removal and postoperative radiation therapy are determining factors of patients' survival in skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas. However, none of these factors significantly influenced the survival in multivariate analysis. Aggressive surgical removal of more than subtotal resection combined with postoperative radiation therapy seems to be the choice of therapy in the management of these tumors.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.298-302
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• 2015

This case report describes the symptoms and clinical course of a 35-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with a temporo-sphenoidal encephalocele. It is characterized by herniation of cerebral tissue of the temporal lobe through a defect of the skull base localized in the middle fossa. At the time of first presentation the patient complained about recurrent nasal discharge of clear fluid which had begun some weeks earlier. She also reported that three months earlier she had for the first time suffered from a generalized seizure. In a first therapeutic attempt an endoscopic endonasal approach to the sphenoid sinus was performed. An attempt to randomly seal the suspicious area failed. After frontotemporal craniotomy, it was possible to localize the encephalocele and the underlying bone defect. The herniated brain tissue was resected and the dural defect was closed with fascia of the temporalis muscle. In summary, the combination of recurrent rhinorrhea and a first-time seizure should alert specialists of otolaryngology, neurology and neurosurgery of a temporo-sphenoidal encephalocele as a possible cause. Treatment is likely to require a neurosurgical approach.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2000

Objective : A few anecdotal cases of mesenchyme-derived tumors which grow into a cranial cavity have been reported that disclosed a dismal prognosis, due to their critical location, aggressive biological behavior, and high rate of surgical morbidity. The aim of this study is to search clinical factors related to these tumors. Methods : Eight patients who underwent surgical removal of intracranial mesenchymal tumors between January 1993 and December 1997 were studied retrospectively. The tumors included are three chordomas, two chondrosarcomas, two rhabdomyosarcomas, and one hemangiopericytoma. Authors compared clinical features, treatment, and results of our cases with reported cases. The mean follow-up period was 20.5 months. Results : All cases showed nonspecific, location-related clinical findings and arose from sphenopetroclival region. Single stage operation was performed in 4 cases, and skull base approaches in 3 cases. Adjuvant therapies were done in 2 cases. Recurrence was seen in 3 cases(37.5%), and 3 patients died. Interdisciplinary approach with otologic surgeon was done in 2 cases. Conclusion : Recent advancement of refined tactics has made these tumors amenable and provides prolongation of progression-free survival. These are modified skull base approaches, multi-modality treatment options, and inter-disciplinary team approaches. Good results may be expected for these mesenchymal tumors by aggressive resection and adjuvant therapies according to their biological nature.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.218-222
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• 2013

Objective : To clarify the anatomical correlations of the sphenoid sinus with surrounding structures in the normal Korean population, and to identify surgical landmarks for safe sellar floor dissection in the anterior skull base by endoscopy and microscopy. Methods : We reviewed the 196 brain magnetic resonance imaging findings showing a normal appearance, and measured the distances between anatomical landmarks. Results : The mean distances from the base of the columella to the anterior wall of the sphenoid sinus and the sellar floor were $69.71{\pm}4.25$ mm and $86.26{\pm}4.57$ mm, respectively in the over 15 age group, and showed the smallest degree of variation among the measurements. The mean angles between the floor of the nasal cavity and the straight line connecting the base of the columella and the sellar floor were $29.45{\pm}3.25^{\circ}$ and $24.75{\pm}4.00^{\circ}$ in the over 15 and under 15 age groups, respectively. The mean values of both distances and angles increased with age until 15 years after which no further increases were evident. There were no significant differences in the measurements between males and females or among subjects with different degrees of pneumatization in the over 15 age group. Conclusion : The distances from the base of the columella to the sellar floor and the anterior wall of the sphenoid sinus, which were consistent among individuals, could be used as a surgical indicator to investigate the sellar floor in endoscopic or microscopic transsphenoidal approaches.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.103-106
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• 2009

Intracranial schwannomas preferentially arise from the vestibular branch of the eighth nerve, and rarely from the trigeminal nerve, facial nerve, and lower cranial nerves. Anterior cranial fossa schwannomas are extremely uncommon and few details about them have been reported. The patient was a 39-year-old woman whose chief complaints were anosmia and frontal headache for 2 years. The gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an extra-axial mass from ethmoid sinus to right frontal base region near the midline, with solid enhancement in lower portion and multicystic formation in upper portion. The tumor was totally resected via basal subfrontal approach. At operation, the tumor had cystic portion with marginal calcification and the anterior skull base was destructed by the tumor. The olfactory bulb was involved, and the tumor capsule did not contain neoplastic cells. The histopathological diagnosis was schwannoma. We report a rare case of anterior cranial fossa schwannoma with literature review.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.360-362
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• 2010

A sphenoid mucocele often presents late due to its deep seated anatomical site. And it has varied presentation due to its loose relationship to the cavernous sinus and the base of the skull. We describe a case of large sphenoid sinus mucocele. A middle aged old man suddenly developed third cranial nerve palsy. Brain imaging study revealed an isolated sphenoid sinus mucocele, compressing right cavernous sinus. Endoscopic marsupialization of the mucocele via transnasal approach led to complete resolution of the third cranial nerve palsy. Involvement of the third cranial nerve in isolated mucocele is rare but important neurosurgical implications which must be excluded. In addition, proper and timely treatment must be performed to avoid permanent neurologic deficit.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.92-99
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• 1996

The primary treatment of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma is at this time, mainly based on radiotherapy. In most studies for patient treated with radiotherapy, overall 5-year survival rate is in the range of 35 to 55%. Obviously, these therapeutic results may be influenced by various factors such as clinical stages, histopathological types and radiation techniques, etc. Though the radiotherapy had a good therapeutic result, there is a limitation to apply the radiotherapy only in cases of the advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Anatomical complexity of the skull base and difficulties in complete surgical intervention were the trouble of the surgery but in the case of radiation failure, there is no adequate choice of other curative modalities. So it is appropriate to investigate whether surgical resection may improve the outcome of treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The purpose of this papaer is to report our surgical experience of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma, then to take into consideration of the new model of treatment strategy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2017

Typical transcranial approaches are insufficient for adequate visualization and resection of skull base tumors. Different approaches with multiple modifications have been attempted. Here, we describe a new approach for a lesion that is central and hard to treat by conventional craniotomy and successful reconstruction with calvarial bone graft and titanium mesh plate. A 69-year-old female patient presented with recurrent meningioma. The tumor had invaded the frontal lobe, right supraorbital rim, and ethmoidal bone. We performed a modified anterior craniofacial approach that fully exposed the tumor and invaded bone. In consideration of the patient's age and cosmetic result, the tumor and invaded bone was resected and the defect area was reconstructed with titanium mesh and calvarial bone graft. At 6 months postoperative the patient had no complications and was satisfied with the esthetic result. We report this case to demonstrate the successful approach and reconstruction using this technique.