Citations

Abstract Neuroanatomy remains a core competency in neurosurgical training, particularly in skull base education, where learners must integrate three‐dimensional spatial understanding, radiologic correlation, and stepwise procedural knowledge. Cadaveric dissection remains foundational, but adjunctive digital tools may strengthen repeated visualization and anatomical review. We describe the educational rationale and implementation of integrating stereoscopic teaching, a stepwise digital application, photogrammetry, and virtual reality within an established neurosurgical skull base curriculum. Within the Mayo Clinic cranial base course embedded in a broader longitudinal curriculum, four postgraduate year 4 neurosurgery residents participated in transcranial and endoscopic cadaveric dissections supported by stereoscopic lectures, workstation‐based tablet guidance, and immersive review using photogrammetry, virtual reality, and computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging correlation. The integrated design aligned these modalities with course objectives in anatomical landmark recognition, operative corridor planning, radiologic‐anatomic translation, and stepwise procedural rehearsal. The educational contribution of this model lies in the intentional integration of digital adjuncts around cadaveric dissection rather than in a single technology alone. This multimodal sequence may support spatial understanding, procedural preparation, and competency‐oriented skull base training while extending review beyond the laboratory. Current evaluation is best interpreted as preliminary program evaluation rather than definitive learner‐outcome evidence. This model may offer a transferable approach for programs seeking to complement cadaveric education with emerging digital tools and provides a basis for future prospective evaluations using multiple low‐stakes assessment data points across the broader curriculum.

ABSTRACT Background Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) exhibits variable recurrence patterns, with significant late recurrences occurring years after treatment. We investigated cutoff periods to define late recurrence and identified predictors that distinguish patients at risk of late recurrence from those considered cured. Methods From a multi‐institutional cohort of 219 ONB patients treated at nine centers, we analyzed 77 patients with documented recurrence. Using a 48‐month cutoff to define early (< 48 months) versus late (≥ 48 months) recurrence, we evaluated 35 clinical, anatomic, and treatment variables using Firth penalized logistic regression across three comparisons: (1) late versus early recurrence timing, (2) late recurrence versus no recurrence, and (3) early recurrence versus no recurrence. Results Thirty‐four of the 77 (44.2%) recurrences were classified as late. Among the 77 patients who recurred, smaller tumor volume (OR 0.243, p = 0.035) and lower novel Dulguerov staging (OR 0.802, p = 0.038) were associated with late, rather than early recurrence. When patients with late recurrence were compared to those who remained disease‐free, radiographic skull base bone involvement was the strongest independent predictor (OR 2.90, 95% CI 1.14–8.64, p = 0.025), and this effect strengthened after adjusting for tumor volume (OR 3.80, p = 0.029). Pathologic dural invasion (OR 3.29, p = 0.013), Kadish stage (OR 2.02, p = 0.026), and T‐stage (OR 1.32, p = 0.040) were also significant. Conclusions A 48‐month cutoff effectively stratifies ONB recurrence risk. Skull base bone involvement independently predicts recurrence when compared to nonrecurrent cases and uniquely persists as a risk factor for late recurrence. These findings establish skull base bone involvement as a novel biomarker for risk‐stratified surveillance protocols.

ABSTRACT Background Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak after retrosigmoid vestibular schwannoma resection remains a challenging complication. Historically, surgeons reopened the prior retrosigmoid incision for transmastoid repair because the safety of creating a separate postauricular incision was uncertain, with concerns regarding wound breakdown and infection. However, limited data support this practice, and a focused mastoid incision may offer improved access and patient tolerance. This study evaluated wound healing outcomes following transmastoid repair using a new postauricular incision for persistent CSF leak after retrosigmoid surgery in patients without serviceable hearing. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 27 patients who underwent transmastoid repair for persistent postoperative CSF leak after retrosigmoid craniotomy for vestibular schwannoma (2000–2025). Demographics, operative details, timing of leak diagnosis and repair, wound complications, readmissions, antibiotic use, and culture results were analyzed. Results Median age was 48 years (IQR 41–56); 67% were male, and mean BMI was 29.0 kg/m 2 . Mastoid obliteration was performed in 96%, with fat grafting in 93%. A new postauricular incision was used in all cases. Median time to leak diagnosis was 13 days (IQR 4–79), and median time to repair was 2 days (IQR 1–5). One patient (3.7%) developed a superficial wound abscess; no dehiscence or flap necrosis occurred. At median follow‐up of 34 months (IQR 2.9–87.7), all wounds were healed. CSF leak recurred in two patients (7.4%) and three (11.1%) required reoperation. Conclusion A separate postauricular incision for transmastoid CSF leak repair was not associated with increased wound morbidity. Durable wound healing was achieved in all patients, with 93% legal control, supporting this anatomy‐driven approach. Level of Evidence 4

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic transnasal surgery offers a minimally invasive alternative to transcranial approaches for accessing midline skull base lesions involving the petrous apex and petroclival region. However, lateral access, particularly behind the petrous internal carotid artery (ICA), remains limited. The contralateral transmaxillary (CTM) approach provides a more direct surgical trajectory, more parallel to the petrous ICA. Yet, lateral access through this approach can be restricted by anatomic barriers, including the pterygoid process and lateral buttress of the maxillary sinus. We aimed to evaluate the contralateral transmaxillary-transpterygoid (CTMP) approach, with and without the lateral buttress removal (CTMP-LBR), to determine whether these modifications could enhance surgical access to the petroclival region. METHODS: Ten sides from 5 formalin-fixed, latex-injected cadaveric specimens were dissected to compare CTM, CTMP, and CTMP-LBR approaches. Petrous bone drilling was directed posterolaterally behind the petrous ICA toward the region medial to the cochlea. In addition, 30 sides from computed tomography angiography scans were analyzed to obtain radiographic measurements for each approach. RESULTS: Compared with CTM, both CTMP and CTMP-LBR significantly increased access for retrocarotid petrous bone drilling ( P < .001) and yielded a wider surgical angle relative to midline ( P < .001), in both cadaveric and radiographic analyses. In dissections, 20% of sides required CTM only, 50% benefited from CTMP, and 30% required CTMP-LBR to achieve adequate lateral access. Radiographic analysis revealed that CTMP required a median of 4 mm of pterygoid drilling, whereas CTMP-LBR required 9 mm and enabled a trajectory parallel to the petrous ICA with only 11 mm of soft tissue displacement. Patients with smaller angles between the petrous ICA and the horizontal plane were significantly more likely to benefit from CTMP over CTM ( P = .005). CONCLUSION: Modification of the CTM approach with pterygoid drilling and optional LBR improves retrocarotid access. Preoperative evaluation of the petrous ICA angle may help optimize patient-specific planning in endoscopic petroclival surgery.

OBJECTIVE Craniopharyngiomas are challenging lesions, and aggressive resections may cause significant postoperative morbidity and mortality. To mitigate morbidity, a potential strategy of subtotal resection (STR) and adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) has been used, but its impact on survival when compared to gross-total resection (GTR) has been under-investigated. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze short-term mortality between patients undergoing STR ± RT and GTR, and differences in overall survival (OS) between patients undergoing STR, STR + RT, and GTR in a large, nationally representative database. METHODS The authors queried the National Cancer Database for patients diagnosed with craniopharyngioma between 2004 and 2017. Tumor characteristics, treatment strategies, and extent of resection were analyzed. Endpoints were 3-month mortality rate and OS, which were compared between treatment modalities. Firth’s logistic regression was used to analyze 3-month mortality and was adjusted for age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, histopathological diagnosis, income quartile, insurance payor, and maximal tumor diameter. Differences in survival between treatment modalities were compared with log time-to-event analyses after excluding deaths occurring within 3 months to control for immortal time bias. RESULTS A total of 1460 adult and 390 pediatric patients were included. Adults undergoing STR ± RT had a lower rate of 3-month mortality compared to those undergoing GTR in adjusted analysis (2.8% vs 4.6%, odds ratio 0.42; p = 0.03). Survival curves for the STR + RT and GTR cohorts did not significantly differ (p = 0.198). A strategy of STR alone showed worse OS compared with GTR and STR + RT (p < 0.01). The average follow-up length for adults was 65.5 months. For pediatric patients, 3-month mortality for those undergoing GTR and STR ± RT was similar (0% vs 1%, respectively; p = 0.33). Additionally, compared to GTR, there were no significant differences in OS between STR + RT (p = 0.41) and STR alone (p = 0.44). The average follow-up length for the pediatric cohort was 79 months. CONCLUSIONS STR + RT was associated with a favorable perioperative mortality profile when compared with GTR and provided similar long-term survival outcomes. Therefore, STR + RT may be considered when GTR carries significant risks.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Contralateral transfalcine approaches are widely used for interhemispheric/mesial cortical pathologies, even those extending beyond 2 cm lateral from the midline. Nevertheless, the superior limit of contralateral exposure through this approach is not defined. This anatomic study aims to characterize the maximal superior and lateral limits of contralateral exposure using a contralateral transfalcine approach. METHODS: Interhemispheric approaches in the anterior, middle, and posterior-thirds of the interhemispheric fissure were performed in 10 cadaveric head specimens. Rectangular falcine incisions were made and carried maximally superiorly. The contralateral hemisphere was maximally laterally resected from the superior point of visualization down to the level of the corpus callosum. Distances between the most superior point of visualization of the contralateral hemisphere and the superficial point of its cortex and between the midline and the most lateral point of visualization at the level of the corpus callosum were measured and are reported as averages. RESULTS: At the anterior-third of the interhemispheric fissure, the superior point of visualization was 4.8 mm inferior to the cortex. The lateral distance of visualization at the genu of the corpus callosum was 22.9 mm. At the middle-third, the superior point of visualization was 9.7 mm inferior to the cortex. The lateral distance visualized at the body of the corpus callosum was 22.4 mm. At the posterior-third, the superior point visualization of the mesial contralateral hemisphere was 12.6 mm inferior to the cortex. The lateral distance visualized at the splenium of the corpus callosum was 21.3 mm. CONCLUSION: Using the contralateral transfalcine approach, the superior limit of contralateral exposure progressively decreases more posteriorly along the interhemispheric corridor—ranging from 4.8 mm inferior to the cortex in the anterior-third to 12.6 mm inferior to the cortex in the posterior-third. The contralateral optimal view of exposure increases deeper along the interhemispheric corridor.

OBJECTIVE Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) is a rare type of brain tumor that affects a wide age range, from children to older adults. Due to the rarity of the disease, existing studies are predominantly limited to single-center or single-surgeon experiences, often lacking statistical power and generalizability. The aim of this study was to address this gap by providing a comprehensive analysis of ACP outcomes based on a large multicenter cohort from the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID). METHODS This multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted via the RAPID consortium and assessed patients with histologically confirmed ACP treated surgically between August 2000 and November 2024 at high-volume pituitary centers across the United States. RESULTS Among the 359 patients (206 male, median age at primary surgery of 47 years) included in the analysis, 76% underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery and 22% underwent craniotomy. Gross-total resection was achieved in 45% and subtotal resection in 47%. Notably, 120 of 311 patients (39%) presented with preoperative hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysfunction. Following all treatments, permanent hypothyroidism was reported in 40% of patients, adrenal insufficiency in 33%, and arginine vasopressin deficiency in 19%. Of 263 patients who underwent primary surgery, radiation therapy was administered in 84 (32%). Progression-free survival (PFS) declined from 66% at 1 year to 31% at 6 years. In the multivariable analysis, independent predictors of worse PFS included subtotal resection (HR 0.22, 95% CI 0.11–0.42; p = 0.001), partial resection (HR 0.11, 95% CI 0.04–0.28, p = 0.001), larger tumor size (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.64–0.94; p = 0.009), and tumor extension beyond the sella and suprasellar regions (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.06–0.74; p = 0.016). Primary surgery and salvage surgery groups showed comparable PFS. CONCLUSIONS In this large multicenter cohort study, gross-total resection was achieved in fewer than half of patients and was independently associated with improved PFS. Approximately one-third of patients underwent radiation therapy after primary surgery. These findings provide robust evidence supporting the prognostic value of extent of resection and inform contemporary treatment algorithms for ACP. The high incidence of postoperative endocrinopathy underscores the need for individualized multidisciplinary long-term care. While the retrospective design is a limitation, the multicenter approach enhances the generalizability of these results.

OBJECTIVE Communicating hydrocephalus may occur following stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for vestibular schwannomas (VSs), yet identifying individual patient risk factors associated with this post-SRS complication remains a challenge. This study examined predictors of nonobstructive ventricular enlargement and symptomatic communicating hydrocephalus following primary SRS treatment for VS via a single-center institutional cohort review and meta-analysis of the literature. METHODS A retrospective single-institution cohort study and systematic literature review and meta-analysis examining post-SRS communicating hydrocephalus in VS was performed. RESULTS The institutional cohort consisted of 634 patients who received primary SRS as treatment for VS. The cohort was 51.6% female, with a median age of 64 (range 18–89) years. Following SRS treatment, 364 patients (57.4%) experienced tumor shrinkage, 218 (34.4%) had no change in the size of their lesion, and 52 (8.2%) experienced tumor growth. Nonobstructive ventricular enlargement was observed in 23 patients (3.6%) following SRS treatment, of whom 9 (39.1%) remained asymptomatic and 14 (60.9%) required placement of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, with a median time to shunt placement of 8 months. In the multivariate analysis, patients ≥ 65 years old (p = 0.038), SRS target volume ≥ 5 cm 3 (p < 0.001), maximum SRS dose ≥ 26 Gy (p = 0.015), and tumor growth at the most recent follow-up (p = 0.002) were associated with an increased risk of post-SRS ventricular enlargement. Similarly, patients with older age (p = 0.049), increased SRS target volume (p = 0.002), and tumor growth (p = 0.016) were at an increased risk of symptomatic communicating hydrocephalus requiring VP shunt placement. Twenty-nine studies, including the cohort in this study, met inclusion criteria in the meta-analysis. Of the pooled 7825 patients, the overall incidence of hydrocephalus following SRS was 5%, and a subanalysis of 7081 patients demonstrated the incidence of symptomatic hydrocephalus requiring a VP shunt to be 4%. In this subanalysis, the overall shunting rate in patients who experienced post-SRS ventriculomegaly was 92%. Among individual studies in the literature, increased tumor size was most commonly found to be a statistically significant risk factor for post-SRS hydrocephalus. CONCLUSIONS Approximately 5% of patients may experience nonobstructive ventricular enlargement following primary SRS treatment for VS. However, not all patients may be symptomatic and require shunting. Patients who are older (≥ 65 years), those with larger tumor volumes, and those with post-SRS tumor growth may be at increased risk of communicating hydrocephalus and may benefit from closer clinical monitoring.

Abstract Purpose: This multicenter, multi-surgeon retrospective study aimed to identify risk factors for postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak following endonasal resection of craniopharyngioma, while evaluating the "perception gap" through a surgeon survey. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 416 patients who underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETS) for craniopharyngioma from 20 institutions. Factors were compared between patients with and without postoperative CSF leak, and between Early (2007-2015) and Late (2016-2025) Epochs. Complementing the clinical data, a survey of 19 neurosurgeons captured expert perspectives on risk stratification and management strategies. Results: Overall postoperative CSF leak rate was 13.5% (56/416 patients). Univariate analysis identified predominantly cystic tumors (34% vs. 21%, p = 0.034)and intraoperative lumbar drain (LD) use ( p < 0.028) as associated with postoperative CSF leak. BMI ( p = 0.587), prior surgery ( p = 0.576), and tumor size ( p = 0.363) were not significant. In the multivariable analysis, LD use was associated with a higher postoperative CSF leak rate (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.06–3.46; p = 0.030). Between Epochs, nasoseptal flap (NSF) utilization increased from 70.7% to 87.6% ( p <0.001). NSF was protective (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.07–0.92; p = 0.037) in the Early Epoch; no factors were significant in the Late Epoch. The surgeons’ survey identified prior surgery and intraoperative high flow leaks as primary risks; however, their LD protocols diverged from clinical data. Conclusion: Despite increased use of NSF, CSF leak persists. The study highlights a significant divergence between expert perception and clinical data regarding lumbar drains.