INTERHEMISPHERIC APPROACH FOR MICROSURGICAL REMOVAL OF OLFACTORY GROOVE MENINGIOMAS

Eighteen consecutive patients with olfactory groove meningiomas, with diameters ranging from 1.5 to 7 cm, underwent microsurgical tumour res ection using a unilateral frontal interhemispheric approach. Unilatera l frontal craniotomy, superior to the frontal sinus, exposing the supe rior sagittal sinus was performed. The ipsilateral frontal lobe was ge ntly retracted laterally, and the tumour resected through the gap betw een the fair and the medial aspect of the frontal lobe, anteriorly to the genu of the corpus callosum. Gross total tumour resection was achi eved in all the patients. There was no evidence of damage to the front al lobes, the anterior cerebral arteries or the optic system. Compared with the more commonly applied subfrontal route, the interhemispheric approach has the advantages of sparing the frontal sinuses and provid ing excellent overview of the dissection of the anterior cerebral arte ries and the optic system, as well as for the resection of tumour inva ding the frontal cranial base.