Predictors of operative ischemic cerebrovascular complications in skull base tumor resections: Experience in low-resource setting

Abstract Background Ischemic cerebrovascular complications following skull base tumor resections remain a significant factor impacting both short-term and long-term patient outcomes. This study aims to improve risk stratification, surgical decision-making, and postoperative care protocols. Methods A retrospective cohort study on predictors of ischemic cerebrovascular complications among patients who underwent skull base tumor resection was conducted at 2 high-volume neurosurgical centers in Ethiopia from 2018 to 2023. Binary logistic analysis was performed to see the association of each predictor variable. Results The study included 266 patients, with 65.5% being female. The median age and tumor size were 37 (± IQR = 17) years and 4.9 cm (± IQR 1.5), respectively. Ischemic cerebrovascular complications occurred in 19.9% of patients. Middle cranial fossa tumors and tumors spanning both anterior and middle cranial fossa (AOR = 6.75, 95% CI: 1.66–27.54, P