Pterional trephination approach to tumors of the infratemporal fossa

Tumors of the infratemporal fossa may extend superiorly into the middle cranial fossa and inferiorly into the retromaxillary space. Surgical removal commonly requires an interdisciplinary skull base team, which may have to approach the tumor from above and below in order to resect it. In an attempt to resect infratemporal fossa tumors of this magnitude with a single surgical approach, a pterional trephination (with or without removal of the zygomatic arch) was utilized in 13 cases to define its usefulness and limitations. In nine cases the histologic examination revealed a diagnosis of meningioma, in three, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and in one, undifferentiated carcinoma was found. Postoperative computed tomography was performed in all cases to assess the completeness of tumor resection. This article will detail the successful use of this single-stage approach to intra- or extradural lesions that originate in the infratemporal fossa.