Unique Far-Lateral Closure Technique: Technical Note

The far-lateral approach is a mainstay in gaining access to the ventrolateral craniocervical junction for tumor removal and the treatment of vascular lesions. It has a reportedly high rate of cerebrospinal fluid leak (up to 20%), which can bring devastating consequences, including meningitis, and may require wound revision associated with a longer hospital stay.

To describe a closure technique employed to close the access corridor provided by the far-lateral approach and present an illustrative case.

The far-lateral closure technique employs dural closure, followed by fat buttress, to alleviate dead space and reduce the likelihood of fluid collection and leakage.

This technique has been successfully used by the senior author for more than 14 yr, with a rate of cerebrospinal fluid leak of 2.9%.

This unique approach and closure of the far-lateral craniotomy is a reasonable option for the approach to the ventrolateral craniocervical junction. Skull base surgeons can consider the use of this closure technique to ensure watertight closure.