OBJECTIVE: The advantages of a posterior "conventional" suboccipital approach with a midline incision over lateral, anterolateral, and anterior approaches to anteriorly placed foramen magnum @entity1653 are discussed. METHODS: From 1991 to March 2000, 17 @entity1 with foramen magnum @entity1653 arising from the anterior or anterolateral rim of the foramen magnum underwent operations in the Department of Neurosurgery at King Edward Memorial Hospital and Seth G.S. Medical College. All @entity1 were operated on in a semi-sitting position by use of a conventional suboccipital approach with a midline incision and extension of the craniectomy laterally toward the side of the @entity5 up to the occipital condyle. RESULTS: The @entity1 ranged in age from 17 to 72 years, and the @entity5 ranged in size from 2.1 to 3.8 cm. The intradural vertebral artery was at least partially encased on one side in eight @entity1 and on both sides in two @entity1 . The brainstem was displaced predominantly posteriorly in each @entity1 . A partial condylar resection was performed in two cases to enhance the exposure. Total @entity5 resection was achieved in 14 @entity1 , and a subtotal resection of the @entity5 was performed in the other 3 @entity1 . In one @entity1 , a small part of the @entity5 was missed inadvertently, and in the other two @entity1 , part of the @entity5 in relation to the vertebral artery and posterior @entity5487 was deliberately left behind. After surgery, one @entity1 developed exaggerated @entity129 . There was no significant @entity260 in the remainder of the @entity1 , and their conditions improved after surgery. The average length of follow-up is 43 months, and there has been no recurrence of the @entity5 or growth of the @entity41 . CONCLUSION: From our experience, we conclude that a large majority of anterior foramen magnum @entity1653 can be excised with a lateral suboccipital approach and meticulous microsurgical techniques.

Surgery on anterior foramen magnum XXXX using a conventional posterior suboccipital approach: a report on an experience with 17 cases.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity129 :: ('MESH:D003389', 'Disease') :: ['lower cranial nerve weakness'] @entity41 :: ('MESH:D018365', 'Disease') :: ['residual tumor'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor', 'tumors'] @entity260 :: ('MESH:D011183', 'Disease') :: ['postoperative complication'] @entity1653 :: ('MESH:D008579', 'Disease') :: ['meningiomas'] @entity5487 :: ('MESH:D014854', 'Disease') :: ['inferior cerebellar artery']
@entity1653 :: (MESH:D008579,Disease) :: ['meningiomas']
