Supraorbital Approach to Basal Frontal Lobe for Resection of Brain Metastasis

This video illustrates the use of the supraorbital craniotomy via an eyebrow incision for access to the basal frontal lobe. This approach is particularly useful for removal of lesions in the dominant hemisphere, where a transcortical approach could place speech centers at risk. The case is that of a 57-year-old woman who presented after a mental status change and was noted to have a large left frontal mass. The patient had a history of melanoma, and pathologic analysis of the intracranial lesion was consistent with metastatic melanoma. The patient underwent an uneventful gross-total lesion resection. The step-by-step techniques for performing this operation are illustrated (Video 1). Although not used in this case because we had an excellent view of the lesion, removal of the orbital rim allows the surgeon to obtain a better inferior-to-superior trajectory without using retraction. Of utmost importance to satisfactory cosmetic outcome are meticulous layer-by-layer closure of the eyebrow incision and maintaining pressure on the wound at the time of extubation. This pressure prevents accumulation of hematoma or cerebrospinal fluid, which places the wound under tension, impedes healing, and detrimentally affects cosmetic outcome. Additional adjuncts in this procedure may include hyperextending the head to bring the tumor into more direct view and drilling the skull base flush to expand the operative corridor. Minimally invasive approaches are excellent for the removal of metastasis because they are smaller incisions that remain well vascularized and heal quickly, allowing the patient to initiate adjuvant therapy sooner. The patient's family provided consent for publication.