Skull base surgery

Endoscopic skull base surgery allows minimally invasive surgery to be performed through the nasal cavity, using endoscopes, without having to open the skull.

The skull base is a bony shelf that forms the floor of the cranial cavity, separating the brain from the eyes, nasal cavities, ears and upper neck. It has many openings through which important nerves and blood vessels travel.

The optical and endoscopic tools used in this procedure are inserted through the nasal cavity. These allow the surgeon to see the area being operated on in high definition through stereoscopic cameras with optical fibers. This allows it to be seen three-dimensional and in color.

Being able to see the brain and facial nerves helps ensure that they don’t get injured.

Our experienced multidisciplinary Skull Base Surgeons team offers a comprehensive skull base service for a wide range of problems affecting structures within the base of the skull.

The majority of tumours in the skull base are benign (non-cancerous).

• Meningioma
• Vestibular schwannoma
• Other cranial nerve schwannomas
• Pituitary Tumours
• Craniopharyngioma
• Haemangioblastomas
• Chordoma
• Chondrosarcoma
• Sinonasal tumours
• Glomus
• Osteoma
• Other rare tumours
• Tumours adjacent to the brainstem

Skull base surgery does not tend to have many complications, although this may differ depending on the level of difficulty of the operation.

Once the anesthetic has worn off, the specialist will carry out a neurological examination and comment on how the surgery went. Depending on the type of procedure carried out, the patient may be in the intensive care unit, and they will need to remain in hospital for a few days.