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Surgical Anatomy of the Posterior Fossa

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Skull Base Surgery of the Posterior Fossa

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Abstract

The anatomy of the posterior fossa is difficult to master given the complex three-dimensional relationships of its bony, dural, neural, and vascular elements. Neurosurgical approaches to deep locations in the posterior fossa risk collateral damage to neighboring eloquent structures. In this chapter, we will review the posterior fossa enclosure and its contents in relation to a variety of surgical approaches, starting from a posterior perspective and working stepwise anteriorly. Images from Dr. Al Rhoton Jr.’s laboratory are used to illustrate these surgical views.

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Abbreviations

AICA:

Anterior inferior cerebellar artery

IAC:

Internal auditory canal

ICA:

Internal carotid artery

III:

Oculomotor nerve

IV:

Trochlear nerve

IX:

Glossopharyngeal nerve

PCA:

Posterior cerebral artery

PICA:

Posterior inferior cerebellar artery

SCA:

Superior cerebellar artery

SCC:

Semicircular canal

V:

Trigeminal nerve

VI:

Abducens nerve

VII:

Facial nerve

VIII:

Vestibulocochlear nerve

X:

Vagus nerve

XI:

Spinal accessory nerve

XII:

Hypoglossal nerve

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Tennessee, 847 Monroe Avenue, Suite 427, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA

    Jaafar Basma MD & Jeffrey Sorenson MD

Authors
  1. Jaafar Basma MD
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  2. Jeffrey Sorenson MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeffrey Sorenson MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurosciences Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

    William T. Couldwell

Credits

Credits

All images are from the online Rhoton Collection. Dissections by Hiroshi Abe, Toshiro Katsuta, Antonio Mussi, Eduardo Seoane, Ryusui Tanaka, Helder Tedeschi, Tsutomu Hitotsumatsu, and Hung Wen.

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Basma, J., Sorenson, J. (2018). Surgical Anatomy of the Posterior Fossa. In: Couldwell, W. (eds) Skull Base Surgery of the Posterior Fossa . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67038-6_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67038-6_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-67037-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-67038-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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