The treatment of disorders at the base of the skull is the subject of the specialist surgical procedure known as skull operation surgery. This includes regions like the brain’s underside as well as crucial nerves and blood vessels that leave the brain to support senses like sight, smell, and hearing. Reaching these locations without having to cut through the skull and retract the brain is difficult in skull base surgery. With as little impact as possible on the rest of the brain, it is intended to reach and operate in these challenging locations.
In order to eliminate anomalies on the base of the skull, the top few vertebrae of the spinal column, anterior skull base tumors, or the underside of the brain, skull base surgery may be performed. A minimally invasive endoscopic approach may be used to do skull base surgery because it is such a challenging place to see and access.
In this surgery, the surgeon makes a small incision just above the eyebrow or uses the natural holes in the skull—the mouth or nose—to insert equipment. A team of specialists is needed for this kind of surgery, which may include radiologists, maxillofacial surgeons, neurosurgeons, and ENT (ear, nose, and throat) surgeons.
Before the advent of endoscopic skull base surgery, the only technique to treat growths in this region of the body was through a skull incision. This sort of surgery might be required in specific circumstances. Reach out to the Anterior skull base surgery in Coimbatore, to undergo the procedure.
Why is skull base surgery recommended by specialists?
The following are some conditions and growths that skull base surgery may be used to treat:
- Cysts from birth
- Infections that result in growths
- Thyroid tumours
- Non-cancerous tumours are known as meningiomas that develop from the meninges—the tissue that covers the brain and is located between the brain and the skull
- Slow-growing bone tumours called choremas are most frequently discovered at the base of the skull.
- Trigeminal neuralgia causes excruciating facial discomfort on one side.
- Growths called craniopharyngiomas that appear close to the pituitary gland
- Craniosynostosis is a disorder where an infant’s skull bones prematurely close, impairing brain development and changing the structure of the skull.
- Fistulas in the cerebrospinal fluid
- A weak, frequently protruding region in a brain blood vessel known as a cerebral aneurysm
- Improper connections between arteries and veins are called arteriovenous malformations
Signs that might indicate the need for skull base surgery:
Any number of symptoms could result from growth or another anomaly at the base of the skull. Symptoms could include any of the following depending on the growth’s size, nature, and location:
- Facial pain
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Visual problems
- Numbness
- Tenderness of the face
- Ringing in the ears or diminished hearing
- Sinus infections often or nasal congestion
Evaluative tests that help in the identification of the need for the skull base tumor treatment:
Based on your symptoms and the results of a physical examination, growths or abnormalities that might necessitate skull base surgery will be diagnosed. These tests and imaging examinations are crucial to the diagnosis because this area cannot be viewed directly:
Brain imaging analysis:
Your medical team can spot a growth or abnormality by using specialized tests including MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), MRA (magnetic resonance angiography), PET (positron emission tomography), and CT (computed tomography) scans, which produce images of the skull.
Biopsy:
It is possible to remove a tiny portion of growth from the base of the skull and examine it under a microscope. An endoscope inserted into the sinuses and nose can be used to perform a biopsy. Excisional biopsy and tiny needle aspiration are other biopsy techniques.
Other examinations:
Your hearing, eyesight, muscle activity, balance, and cranial nerves may all be examined. Other bodily organs and systems may also be examined through studies or scans.
How to Prepare for Anterior Skull-Base Surgery?
This surgery calls for a multidisciplinary team of doctors, including a neurosurgeon, an otolaryngologist, and a neurophysiologist.
The specialist will enquire about the patient’s medical history and make arrangements for various tests, including an ECG and blood tests.
In order for the patient to have no pain during the surgery, general anaesthesia will be administered. The patient will use mechanical ventilation to breathe. Consult the best ENT surgeon in Coimbatore to undergo the treatment.
Post-operative care involved after the procedure:
Although this may vary depending on the complexity of the operation, this technique does not frequently have many complications.
After the anaesthetic wears off, the specialist will conduct a neurological evaluation and make a report on the success of the procedure. The patient may spend a few days in the hospital’s intensive care unit, depending on the sort of treatment they underwent.
The goal of the treatment is to be able to resume your regular everyday routines. Some patients require ongoing treatment, such as proton beam therapy, radiation, and radiosurgery. Many people will require additional imaging to confirm that growth is not recurring over time.
