Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2026
Role of Diffusion MRI Tractography in Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery
Published on: July 5, 2021
Pediatric skull base surgery. 1. Embryology and developmental anatomy
David P Gruber1, Douglas Brockmeyer
1Sacred Heart Children's Hospital, Pediatric Neuroscience Group, Spokane, WA, USA.
Insights
Pediatric cranial base surgery requires understanding developmental anatomy. This review details embryology and anatomy for safer surgical approaches in children, addressing a gap in neurosurgical literature.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Developmental Anatomy
- Skull Base Surgery
Background:
- Surgical pathology of the pediatric cranial base is rare.
- Traditional operative techniques and management philosophies are commonly used.
- Multidisciplinary skull base teams enhance patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive review of the developmental anatomy and embryology of the pediatric cranial base.
- To contextualize this anatomy within specific surgical approaches.
- To address the lack of detailed anatomical information in existing neurosurgical literature.
Main Methods:
- Review of developmental anatomy and embryology of the cranial base.
- Focus on structures relevant to pediatric skull base surgery.
- Exclusion of detailed calvarial, midface, and orbital development.
Main Results:
- Detailed discussion of the embryological origins and anatomical development of the cranial base relevant to pediatric surgery.
- Identification of key anatomical landmarks and their surgical implications.
- Highlighting the importance of anatomical knowledge for multidisciplinary teams.
Conclusions:
- A thorough understanding of pediatric cranial base developmental anatomy is crucial for safe and effective surgical interventions.
- This review serves as a foundational resource for neurosurgical teams managing pediatric cranial base pathologies.
- Further research may focus on specific anatomical variations and their impact on surgical outcomes.
Abstract:
Surgical pathology of the pediatric cranial base is uncommon, but in affected children, traditional operative techniques and management philosophies predominate. While the creation of multidisciplinary skull base teams synergistically pools the talents of individual specialties, a better understanding of the developmental anatomy of the cranial base becomes essential in order for such teams to safely implement these approaches in children. The extant neurosurgical literature lacks a comprehensive review of this anatomy. This report discusses the developmental anatomy and embryology of the cranial base within the context of specific surgical approaches. Detailed development of the calvaria, midface skeleton and orbit is excluded.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into...
01:14Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
01:27Cranial Bones: Lateral View
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...