Skip to main content
Log in

Minimally invasive craniotomies for lesions of the anterior and middle fossa

  • Review
  • Published:
Neurosurgical Review Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Minimally invasive craniotomies are the subject of increasing attention over the last two decades in neurosurgery, following the current trend of attempting to increase patient safety by providing surgeries with less tissue disruption, blood loss, and decreased operative time. However, a significant information overlap exists among the various keyhole approaches regarding their indications and differences with more invasive techniques. Therefore, the present study aims to comprehensively review, illustrate, and describe the potential benefits and disadvantages of minimally invasive techniques to access the anterior and middle fossa, including the mini-pterional, mini orbito-zygomatic, supraorbital, lateral supraorbital, and extended lateral supraorbital approaches while comparing them to classic, more invasive approaches.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Not applicable (No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study).

References

  1. Abdel Aziz KM, Bhatia S, Tantawy MH, et al. Minimally invasive transpalpebral “eyelid” approach to the anterior cranial base. Neurosurgery. 2011;69(2 Suppl Operative):ons195–206; discussion 206–197

  2. Al-Mefty O (1987) Supraorbital-pterional approach to skull base lesions. Neurosurgery 21(4):474–477

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Caplan JM, Papadimitriou K, Yang W, et al. The minipterional craniotomy for anterior circulation aneurysms: initial experience with 72 patients. Neurosurgery. 2014;10 Suppl 2:200–206; discussion 206–207.

  4. Chalouhi N, Jabbour P, Ibrahim I, et al. Surgical treatment of ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms: comparison of pterional and supraorbital keyhole approaches. Neurosurgery. 2013;72(3):437–441; discussion 441–432.

  5. Cheng WY, Lee HT, Sun MH, Shen CC (2006) A pterion keyhole approach for the treatment of anterior circulation aneurysms. Minimally invasive neurosurgery : MIN 49(5):257–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. da Silva SA, Yamaki VN, Solla DJF et al (2019) Pterional, pretemporal, and orbitozygomatic approaches: anatomic and comparative study. World neurosurgery 121:e398–e403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Dhandapani S, Narayanan R, Dhandapani M, Bhagat H (2021) How safe and effective is shifting from pterional to supraorbital keyhole approach for clipping ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms? A surgeon’s transition phase comparative study. J Neurosciences in Rural Practice. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0041-1727301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Dzhindzhikhadze, R. S., Dreval', O. N., Lazarev, V. A., & Kambiev, R. L. (2016). Mini-orbitozygomatic craniotomy in surgery for supratentorial aneurysms and tumors of the anterior and middle cranial fossae Minimal'naya orbitozigomaticheskaya kraniotomiya v khirurgii supratentorial'nykh anevrizm i obrazovanii perednei i srednei cherepnykh yamok. Zhurnal voprosy neirokhirurgii imeni N N. Burdenko. 80(4):40–47

  9. Esposito G, Dias SF, Burkhardt JK et al (2019) Selection strategy for optimal keyhole approaches for middle cerebral artery aneurysms: lateral supraorbital versus minipterional craniotomy. World Neurosurg 122:e349–e357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2018.09.238

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Fatemi N, Dusick JR, de Paiva Neto MA, Malkasian D, Kelly DF. Endonasal versus supraorbital keyhole removal of craniopharyngiomas and tuberculum sellae meningiomas. Neurosurgery. 2009;64(5 Suppl 2):269–284; discussion 284–266.

  11. Figueiredo EG, Deshmukh P, Nakaji P, et al. The minipterional craniotomy: technical description and anatomic assessment. Neurosurgery. 2007;61(5 Suppl 2):256–264; discussion 264–255.

  12. Figueiredo EG, Deshmukh V, Nakaji P, et al. An anatomical evaluation of the mini-supraorbital approach and comparison with standard craniotomies. Operative Neurosurgery. 2006;59:ONS-212-ONS-220.

  13. Fischer G, Stadie A, Reisch R, et al. The keyhole concept in aneurysm surgery: results of the past 20 years. Neurosurgery. 2011;68(1 Suppl Operative):45–51; discussion 51.

  14. Hendricks BK, Cohen-Gadol AA. The extended pterional craniotomy: a contemporary and balanced approach. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2019.

  15. Hernesniemi J, Ishii K, Niemela M et al (2005) Lateral supraorbital approach as an alternative to the classical pterional approach. Acta Neurochir Suppl 94:17–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. T Izumo Y Morofuji K Hayashi N Ryu T Matsuo 2019 Surgical treatment of ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms: comparative analysis of modified mini-pterional and standard pterional craniotomies Neurol India. https://doi.org/10.4103/0028-3886.271261

  17. Jallo GI, Bognar L. Eyebrow surgery: the supraciliary craniotomy: technical note. Neurosurgery. 2006;59(1 Suppl 1):ONSE157–158; discussion ONSE157–158.

  18. Jane JA, Park TS, Pobereskin LH, Winn HR, Butler AB (1982) The supraorbital approach: technical note. Neurosurg 11(4):537–542

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kanaan IN (2005) Trans-eyebrow mini-orbitozygomatic pterional approach for minimally invasive skull base surgery. Minimally invasive neurosurg: MIN 48(1):34–38

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kang HJ, Lee YS, Suh SJ, Lee JH, Ryu KY, Kang DG (2013) Comparative analysis of the mini-pterional and supraorbital keyhole craniotomies for unruptured aneurysms with numeric measurements of their geometric configurations. Journal of cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurg 15(1):5–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kung DS, Kaban LB (1996) Supratarsal fold incision for approach to the superior lateral orbit. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 81(5):522–525

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Lin YJ, Chen KT, Lee CC et al (2018) Anterior skull base tumor resection by transciliary supraorbital keyhole craniotomy: a single institutional experience. World neurosurgery 111:e863–e870

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Madhugiri VS, Ambekar S, Pandey P et al (2013) The pterional and suprabrow approaches for aneurysm surgery: a systematic review of intraoperative rupture rates in 9488 aneurysms. World neurosurg 80(6):836–844

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. McLaughlin N, Cutler A, Martin NA (2013) Technical nuances of temporal muscle dissection and reconstruction for the pterional keyhole craniotomy. J Neurosurg 118(2):309–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Mocco J, Komotar RJ, Raper DM, Kellner CP, Connolly ES, Solomon RA (2013) The modified pterional keyhole craniotomy for open cerebrovascular surgery: a new workhorse? J neurological surg Part A, Central European neurosurg 74(6):400–404

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Mori K, Esaki T, Yamamoto T, Nakao Y (2011) Individualized pterional keyhole clipping surgery based on a preoperative three-dimensional virtual osteotomy technique for unruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysm. Minimally invasive neurosurg : MIN 54(5–6):207–213

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Mori K, Osada H, Yamamoto T, Nakao Y, Maeda M (2007) Pterional keyhole approach to middle cerebral artery aneurysms through an outer canthal skin incision. Minimally invasive neurosurg : MIN 50(4):195–201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Mori K (2014) Keyhole concept in cerebral aneurysm clipping and tumor removal by the supraciliary lateral supraorbital approach. Asian J neurosurg 9(1):14–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Nathal E, Gomez-Amador JL. Anatomic and surgical basis of the sphenoid ridge keyhole approach for cerebral aneurysms. Neurosurgery. 2005;56(1 Suppl):178–185; discussion 178–185.

  30. Ormond DR, Hadjipanayis CG (2013) The supraorbital keyhole craniotomy through an eyebrow incision: its origins and evolution. Minimally invasive surgery 2013:296469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. OwusuBoahene KD, Lim M, Chu E, Quinones-Hinojosa A (2010) Transpalpebral orbitofrontal craniotomy: a minimally invasive approach to anterior cranial vault lesions. Skull base: official journal of North American Skull Base Society [et al] 20(4):237–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Park HS, Park SK, Han YM (2009) Microsurgical experience with supraorbital keyhole operations on anterior circulation aneurysms. J Korean Neurosurg Soc 46:103–108. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2005-91559912

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Perneczky A, Fries G. Endoscope-assisted brain surgery: part 1—evolution, basic concept, and current technique. Neurosurgery. 1998;42(2):219–224; discussion 224–215.

  34. Rabelo NN, da Costa BBS, Teixeira MJ, Figueiredo EG (2018) Letter to the Editor Minimally invasive techniques: the new frontier in neurosurgery. J Neurosurg 130(1):330–331. https://doi.org/10.3171/2018.6.JNS181491

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Rabelo NN, Teixeira MJ, Spetzler RF, Figueiredo EG. Letter to the Editor. The minipterional craniotomy: beyond the keyhole concept. J Neurosurg. 2020;134(4):1347–1348. Published 2020 Jul 24. https://doi.org/10.3171/2020.4.JNS201241

  36. Reisch R, Perneczky A. Ten-year experience with the supraorbital subfrontal approach through an eyebrow skin incision. Neurosurgery. 2005;57(4 Suppl):242–255; discussion 242–255. https://doi.org/10.1227/01.neu.0000178353.42777.2c.

  37. Reisch R, Stadie A, Kockro R, Hopf N. Keyhole concept in neurosurgery. World neurosurgery. 2013;79:17:e9–17.e13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2012.02.024.

  38. Salma A, Alkandari A, Sammet S, Ammirati M. Lateral supraorbital approach vs pterional approach: an anatomic qualitative and quantitative evaluation. Neurosurgery. 2011;68(2 Suppl Operative):364–372; discussion 371–362.

  39. Sattur MG, Abi-Aad KR, Welz ME, Aoun RJ, Krishna C, Purnell C, Alghoul M Bendok BR (2020) Extended lateral orbital craniotomy: anatomic study and initial clinical series of a novel minimally invasive pterional approach. Journal of Neurological Surgery. Part B, Skull Base 81(1): 88–96. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1677470

  40. Spiessberger A, Baumann F, Stauffer A et al (2019) The subtemporal approach to the lateral midbrain with and without zygomatic osteotomy: an anatomical study. Clinical anatomy (New York, NY) 32(5):710–714

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Steiger HJ, Schmid-Elsaesser R, Stummer W, Uhl E (2001) Transorbital keyhole approach to anterior communicating artery aneurysms. Neurosurg 48:347–352. https://doi.org/10.1227/00006123-200102000-00021

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Tubbs RS, Loukas M, Shoja MM, Cohen-Gadol AA. Refined and simplified surgical landmarks for the MacCarty keyhole and orbitozygomatic craniotomy. Neurosurgery. 2010;66(6 Suppl Operative):230–233.

  43. Welling LC, Rabelo NN, Figueiredo EG. The mini-pterional approach and the atrophy of the temporal muscle [published online ahead of print, 2021 Nov 26]. Neurosurg Rev. 2021;https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-021-01706-y. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-021-01706-y

  44. Wong JH, Tymianski R, Radovanovic I, Tymianski M (2015) Minimally invasive microsurgery for cerebral aneurysms. Stroke 46(9):2699–2706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Yagmurlu K, Safavi-Abbasi S, Belykh E et al (2017) Quantitative anatomical analysis and clinical experience with mini-pterional and mini-orbitozygomatic approaches for intracranial aneurysm surgery. J Neurosurg 127(3):646–659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Yasargil MG, Reichman MV, Kubik S (1987) Preservation of the frontotemporal branch of the facial nerve using the interfascial temporalis flap for pterional craniotomy. Technical article. J Neurosurg 67(3):463–466

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Yu LH, Yao PS, Zheng SF, Kang DZ (2015) Retractorless surgery for anterior circulation aneurysms via a pterional keyhole approach. World neurosurg 84(6):1779–1784

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Zumofen DW, Rychen J, Roethlisberger M et al (2017) A review of the literature on the transciliary supraorbital keyhole approach. World neurosurg 98:614–624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Avery MB, Mallari RJ, Barkhoudarian G, Kelly DF (2022) Supraorbital and mini-pterional keyhole craniotomies for brain tumors: a clinical and anatomical comparison of indications and outcomes in 204 cases. J Neurosurg 136:1314–1324. https://doi.org/10.3171/2021.6.JNS21759

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Tullos HJ, Conner AK, Baker CM et al (2018) Mini-pterional craniotomy for resection of parasellar meningiomas. World Neurosurg 117:e637–e644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2018.06.103

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

R.B. established the conceptual idea and workflow. All authors wrote and reviewed the manuscript. Figure 1 was drawn by a hired artist who provided us with the copyright (attached document in this submission), and Fig. 2 was elaborated by B.H.D.G.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raphael Bertani.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bertani, R., Koester, S., Batista, S. et al. Minimally invasive craniotomies for lesions of the anterior and middle fossa. Neurosurg Rev 45, 3149–3156 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-022-01850-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-022-01850-z

Keywords

Navigation