Is there a place for the endoscope in skull base surgery in children less than 5 years?

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Pediatric Surgery
• Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery

Background:

• Transnasal endoscopic approaches are increasingly utilized for central skull base lesions.
• The application and safety of these techniques in young children (under 5 years) remain under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of transnasal endoscopic approaches in children under five years old with central skull base lesions.
• To assess the potential benefits and challenges of this surgical technique in a pediatric population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case series describing five children under the age of five years with central skull base pathologies.
• Analysis of surgical approaches, including combined external and transnasal endoscopic techniques.

Main Results:

• Three out of five patients required a combined external and transnasal endoscopic approach.
• Transnasal access to the central skull base resulted in reduced tissue damage.
• The approach showed potential for mitigating growth deceleration in pediatric patients.

Conclusions:

• Transnasal endoscopic approaches are applicable and safe for treating anterior and central skull base pathologies in young children.
• Successful surgical outcomes necessitate robust interdisciplinary cooperation between surgical and medical teams.