Anterior skull base reconstruction with the pericranial flap after craniofacial resection

No one reconstructive method is always satisfactory, especially when considering repair of a region such as the anterior skull base. Increased morbidity and mortality is directly related to failure of the reconstruction to adequately isolate the cranial cavity from the respiratory tract. Those surgeons performing craniofacial resections for lesions of the paranasal sinuses and anterior skull base must be familiar with a variety of reconstructive techniques which they can utilize depending upon the surgical defect that must be closed. For those small to moderate size defects of the anterior fossa we recommend using the inferiorly based pericranial flap to effect a repair. For larger defects extending laterally from the midline to involve a portion of the orbital roof, a laterally based flap of temporalis and pericranium can be used to provide successful anterior skull base reconstruction. Larger defects of the cranio-orbito-facial region will require additional methods of repair utilizing distant vascularized flaps.