• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2015

Background: Treatment of skull base tumors is challenging due to limited access and presence of important neurovascular structures nearby. The success of a complete tumor resection depends on the extent of tumor exposure and secure field of view. While these tumors are often removed by transcranial endoscopic access, transfacial approach is sometimes required depending on the location and size of the tumor. This study describes various transfacial approaches in patients undergoing skull base tumor resection. Methods: From March to November 2013, 15 patients underwent skull base tumor resection via transfacial accesses at a tertiary institution. Data were reviewed for patient demographics, type of access used, completeness of tumor resection, surgical outcome, and postoperative complications. Results: Two clivus tumor patients underwent transmaxillary approach; three tuberculum-sellae and suprasellar-hypothalamus tumor patients underwent transbasal approach; three clinoid and retrobulbar intraconal orbital tumor patients underwent orbitozygomatic approach; and seven petroclival-area, pons, cavernous sinus, and lateral-sphenoid-wing tumor patients underwent zygomatic approach. In all cases, the upper and lower margins of the tumor were visible. Complete tumor removal consisted of 10 cases, and partial tumor removal in 5. There were no immediate major complications observed for the transfacial portion of the operations. The overall cosmetic results were satisfactory. Conclusion: Plastic surgeons can use various transfacial approaches according to the location and size of skull base tumors to secure a sufficient field of view for neurosurgeons.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.205-207
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• 2014

Meningioma is a common primary tumor of central nervous system. However, extracranial extension of the intracranial meningioma is unusual, and mostly accompanied the osteolytic change of the skull. We herein describe an atypical meningioma having extracranial extension with hyperostotic change of the skull. The patient was a 72-year-old woman who presented a large mass in the right frontal scalp and left hemiparesis. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scans revealed an intracranial mass, diffuse meningeal thickening, hyperostotic change of the skull with focal extension into the right frontal scalp. She underwent total removal of extracranial tumor, bifrontal craniectomy, and partial removal of intracranial tumor followed by cranioplasty. Tumor pathology was confirmed as atypical meningioma, and she received adjuvant radiotherapy. In this report, we present and discuss a meningioma en plaque of atypical histopathology having an extracranial extension with diffuse intracranial growth and hyperostotic change of the skull.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.430-433
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• 2000

Infantile myofibromatosis is a rare and benign myofibroblastic tumor that may occur in either solitary or multicentric form in the soft tissue of infants. A 13-month-old girl presented with a painless firm mass, measuring $2.5{\times}2.5cm$ in the right temporal area. Skull X-ray and CT scan revealed a well enhancing soft tissue tumor with a round skull defect and sclerotic margin. The tumor was totally excised with curettage of the skull defect followed by cranioplasty. Pathology was confirmed to be a solitary infantile myofibromatosis. We report this rare solitary infantile myofibromatosis of the temporal bone with review of the pertinent literature.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.165-168
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• 2008

The location of ganglioglioma (GG) within the infratentorial compartment is unusual. The authors report a rare case of GG in the cerebellar hemisphere. A 12-year-old boy suffered from headache and gait disturbance. Neuroimaging studies demonstrated a large enhancing cerebellar mass with cystic components compressing the forth ventricle. After complete resection of the tumor, the patient became symptom free. Histological examination on the tumor disclosed glial cells and dysplastic ganglion cells. Although it is a rare tumor, in the appropriate clinical setting, a GG should be considered in the presence of a cerebellar mass with both solid and cystic components on magnetic resonance images in children.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.53-56
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• 2007

Desmoplastic fibroma is one of the uncommon osseous tumors that present in the skull. Although classified as benign tumor, desmoplastic fibroma exhibits local aggressiveness and has a high potential for recurrence. The most common sites include metaphysis of long bones and mandible. Only 15cases have been described in the skull. We report the 16th case of desmoplastic fibroma of the skull.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.94-97
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• 2017

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare, but are the most common mesenchymal neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. The most common sites of metastasis are liver and peritoneum, while bone metastasis is rare. We report on a patient with skull metastasis after seven years of treatment with imatinib for metastatic GIST. She underwent metastasectomy consisting of craniectomy with excision of the mass, and cranioplasty and continued treatment with imatinib and sunitinib, without evidence of cranial recurrence. She died of pneumonia sepsis one year after metastasectomy. Skull metastasis of GIST is a very rare presentation, and an aggressive multidisciplinary approach should be considered whenever possible.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.246-249
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• 2013

A solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare neoplasm originated from the pleura, but they can occur in a variety of extrathoracic regions. Although many cases of primary SFT have been reported, there are extremely rare repots to date of a malignant SFT in the spine or skull. A 54-year-woman visited our hospital due to low back pain and both leg radiating pain. Several imaging studies including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography revealed expansive enhanced lesions in the occipital bone, T8, S1-2, and ilium, with neural tissue compression. We performed surgical resection of the tumor in each site, and postoperative radiosurgery and chemotherapy were performed. However, after six months, tumors were recurred and metastasized in multiple regions including whole spine and lung. The authors report here the first case of patient with malignant SFT of tandem lesions in the various bony structures, including skull, thoracic spine, and sacral spine, with a rapid recurrence and metastasis. Although malignant SFT is extremely rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis and carful follow-up is needed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.273-276
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• 2008

Although adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the lacrimal gland is a rarely encountered orbital tumor, it invades intracranially more frequently than carcinomas of other glands in the head and neck. A 52-year-old man underwent orbital exenteration and resection of intracranially extended tumor via a fronto-orbito-zygomatic approach in combination with a transfacial approach. Histopathologically, the tumor showed perineural, vascular, and lymphatic invasion. Additionally, he received radiotherapy (60 Gy) and adjuvant systemic cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy due to residual tumor in the orbit and systemic metastases (lung, ribs, and spines). He was free of progression and recurrence at 6 months after treatment. The authors report a case of skull base invasion by an ACC of the lacrimal gland to remind neurosurgeons planning intervention that this disease shows a tendency to invade intracranially.

• IEIE Transactions on Smart Processing and Computing
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2014

Recently, ultrasound therapy has become a new and effective treatment for many brain diseases. Therefore, skull-mimicking phantoms have been developed to simulate the skull and brain tissue of a human and allow further research into ultrasound therapy. In this study, the suitability of various skull-mimicking materials(HDPE, POM C, Acrylic) for studies of brain-tumor treatments was evaluated using focused ultrasound. The acoustic properties of three synthetic resins were measured. The skull-mimicking materials were then combined with an egg white phantom to observe the differences in the ultrasound beam distortion according to the type of material. High-intensity polyethylene was found to be suitable as a skull-mimicking phantom because it had acoustic properties and a denatured-area shape that was close to those of the skull,. In this study, a skull-mimicking phantom with a multi-layer structure was produced after evaluating several skull-mimicking materials. This made it possible to predict the denaturation in a skull in relation to focused ultrasound. The development of a therapeutic protocol for a range of brain diseases will be useful in the future.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.103-106
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• 2010

Purpose: Giant cell tumors of the bone are rare, locally aggressive lesions that primarily affect the epiphysis of the long bones in young adults. These tumors occur very rarely on the skull, principally in the sphenoid and temporal bones. The occipital bone is an unusual site. We report a rare case of a giant cell tumor of the occipital bone with a review of the relevant literature. Methods: A 7-year-old boy presented with a mass of the right occipital area, which was accompanied by localized tenderness and mild swelling. The mass was first recognized approximately 1 year earlier and grew slowly. There was no significant history of trauma. The physical examination revealed a nonmobile and non-tender bony swelling on the occipital region. The neurological evaluation was normal. The serial skull radiography and CT scan showed focal osteolytic bone destruction with a bulged soft tissue mass in the right occipital bone. The patient underwent a suboccipital craniectomy and a complete resection of the epidural mass. The lesion was firm and cystic. The mass adhered firmly to the dura mater. Results: The postoperative clinical course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged 5 days later. The histopathology report revealed scattered multinucleated giant cells and mononuclear stromal cells at the tumor section, and the giant cells were distributed evenly in the specimen, indicating a giant cell tumor. Conclusion: Giant cell tumors are generally benign, locally aggressive lesions. In our case, the lesion was resected completely but a persistent long term follow up will be needed because of the high recurrence rate and the possible transformation to a malignancy.