Orbitozygomatic Transsylvian Resection of a Craniopharyngioma: A Step-by-Step Guide

Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) is a rare sellar region tumor seen in 0.5–2 cases per million persons each year,1 presenting a bimodal distribution that peaks at 5–15 years in children and 45–60 years in adults.2 Arising from embryonic remnants of the Rathke pouch epithelium, ACPs are associated with calcifications in 90% of cases and grow cranially toward the floor of the diencephalon.1 Craniopharyngiomas are benign but locally aggressive tumors, with microsurgery being the best chance of cure.3 The natural history is to compress the optic apparatus and hypothalamic-pituitary axis as they expand, with a propensity to encase the carotids. Endoscopic transbasal approaches have gained wide acceptance in the management of these tumors.4-6 However, open microsurgical approaches via pterional and orbitozygomatic craniotomies afford wider visualization of different corridors that help mitigate the surgical risks.7-9 The orbitozygomatic craniotomy allows lesions that extend above the optic chiasm to be safely approached from an inferior-to-superior corridor.9 The wide exposure of the basal arachnoid cisterns allows protection of the lenticulostriate perforators during resection.8-11 We demonstrate a step-by-step orbitozygomatic approach with dissection of the sylvian, carotid, carotid-oculomotor, chiasmatic, and lamina terminalis cisterns that allowed safe resection of a third ventricular ACP. The patient was a male in his 70s, who presented with progressive headaches and visual impairment. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a multicystic suprasellar lesion extending through the third ventricle. The surgery was performed with no complication (Video 1). Postoperative vision stabilized, and magnetic resonance imaging showed complete resection.