Midline and far lateral approaches to foramen magnum lesions

Twenty patients with foramen magnum lesions were operated upon in the last 5 years at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. The common presenting features were quadriparesis, quadriplegia, diminished sensations, neck pain and respiratory insufficiency. The lesions encountered were meningiomas, neurofibromas, posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysms, neurenteric cyst and chordoma. Patients with posterior or posterolaterally placed lesions were operated by the midline posterior approach while those with anterior or anterolateral lesions were managed by the far lateral approach. All mass lesions were excised completely and the aneurysms were clipped. Seventeen patients made good neurological recovery while three died. The latter three patients presented very late. The merits of various surgical approaches to the foramen magnum are discussed.