Positive reports have been recieved concerning the cosmetic outcome of the incision as well. To utilize an analogy, this approach resembles the efforts of those who restore great works of art, bringing back the brilliance of the original work without disturbing the original content. Care is taken in the glabellar approach to accomplish tumor removal with minimal disruption of surrounding structures. The operation has been performed under an operating microscope or with an endoscope. An excellent view of the optic chiasm, visualized microscopically, is seen during a glabellar skull base tumor resection.
Pictures demonstrate the line for the skin incision, postoperative bandage and the healed incision.
After a glabellar approach and resection of an anterior skull base tumor, postoperative visual field results, on the same patient, display significant improvement in visual field defects. Axial and sagittal views from a preoperative MRI disclose a large anterior fossa tumor in an elderly woman. The corresponding postoperative axial and sagittal MRI views confirm complete tumor resection via a glabellar approach. The bright shadow in the sagittal MRI is an abdominal fat graft placed in the ethmoid sinus in order to prevent postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage. When an endoscope is utilized instead of the operating microscope a much smaller incision can be used.