SPHENOID AND SELLAR TUMORS

Until recently, tumors of the central skull base have been relatively inaccessible to the surgeon. With the development of modern skull base surgery and the use of a multidisciplinary surgical team, advancement s have been made in the treatment of tumors of the sphenoid, sellar, a nd parasellar regions. In this article, the management of benign and m alignant lesions of this area are reviewed, current concepts in the pr eoperative evaluation of the carotid artery and the surgical extirpati on of the involved carotid artery and cavernous sinus are discussed, a nd the complex anatomic relationships of the central skull base and th e surgical techniques used to gain access to this region are presented .