Modified Facial Translocation Approach in a One-Month Old With a Skullbase Tumor

The authors present a patient of a neonate with a skull base extragonadal germ cell tumor requiring a modified facial translocation approach for resection. A 1-week-old female presented with right proptosis, eyelid edema, and nasal obstruction. Imaging revealed a 3-cm right-sided skull base mass involving the right maxillary, ethmoid, sphenoid sinuses, orbit, infratemporal fossa, and cavernous sinus via skull base erosion. The lesion was refractory to chemotherapy and required surgical excision. A modified facial translocation approach with preservation of anterior maxillary bone vascularization was used to remove the tumor, which was found to be teratoma with yolk-sac features. The patient tolerated surgery well and was noted to have minimally affected facial skeleton growth at 2-year follow-up. This modified facial translocation approach allowed safe access to this anterior skull base tumor with acceptable morbidity and mild facial growth effects so far.