Endoscopic Endonasal Transpterygoid Approach: Technical Lessons

The endoscopic endonasal transpterygoid approach (EETPA) provides direct access to the petrous apex, lateral clivus, inferior cavernous sinus compartment, jugular foramen, and infratemporal fossa. 1,2 In the coronal plane, it provides exposure far beyond a traditional sphenoidotomy.

The pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone forms the junction between the body and greater sphenoid wing before bifurcating because it descends into medial and lateral plates. The key to this exposure lies in the region's bony foramina: the palatovaginal canal, vidian canal, and foramen rotundum. 3.

After performing a maxillary antrostomy, stepwise exposure of these foramina leads to the pterygopalatine fossa. The sphenopalatine artery is cauterized as it becomes the posterior septal artery at the sphenopalatine foramen, and the maxillary sinus' posterior wall is opened to expose the pterygopalatine fossa. After mobilizing and retracting the contents of the pterygopalatine fossa, the pterygoid process is removed, improving access in the coronal plane. 4.

Vidian neurectomy causes decreased or absent lacrimation. Injury to the maxillary nerve or its branches results in facial, palatal, or odontogenic anesthesia or neuralgia. In addition, the EEPTA precludes the ability to raise an ipsilateral nasal septal flap, making it crucial to plan reconstruction preoperatively. 4,5.

There are 5 variants of the EEPTA: extended pterygopalatine fossa, lateral recess of the sphenoid sinus, petrous apex, infratemporal fossa and petrous carotid artery, and middle and posterior skull base. 5The patient consented to the procedure.Images in the video used with permission as follows: images at 0:33 and 1:15 reused from Bozkurt et al, 3 © Georg Thieme Verlag KG; image at 0:39 from Prosser et al, 5 © John Wiley and Sons; images at 0:54, 9:03, and 9:38 from Kasemsiri et al, 1 © John Wiley and Sons; images at 1:07 and 9:44 from Falcon et al, 2 © John Wiley and Sons; image at 1:15 from Sandu et al, 4 © Springer Nature.