Lateral supracerebellar infratentorial approach for pontomesencephalic cavernous malformations.

Cavernomas at the posterolateral pontomesencephalic surface can be approached from a lateral infratentorial supracerebellar corridor. In this surgical video, we demonstrate two cases of brainstem cavernomas resected through a lateral supracerebellar infratentorial approach. A supine position with lateral turn of the head was used along with significant reverse Trendelenburg to allow the cerebellum to fall away with gravity from the tentorium. After exposure of the posterior surface of the brainstem between the tentorium and the superior cerebellar surface with aid of neuronavigation, the cavernomas were safely resected. The video can be found here: https://youtu.be/fUDdaprg26Y.
Competing Interests: Disclosures The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this article.
(© 2019, Karl R. Abi-Aad, MD, Devi P. Patra, MD, Matthew E. Welz, MS, Evelyn Turcotte, and Bernard R. Bendok.)