Sc. Acikbas et al., THE EFFECT OF CONDYLECTOMY ON EXTREME LATERAL TRANSCONDYLAR APPROACH TO THE ANTERIOR FORAMEN MAGNUM, Acta neurochirurgica, 139(6), 1997, pp. 546-550
The dorsolateral, suboccipital, transcondylar technique was used in th
is cadaveric study. The angle and distance measurements in the corrido
rs were taken intradurally both superior and inferior of the foramen m
agnum level. In the first stage of this study, the findings which were
gained from the standard lateral suboccipital approach were compared
with the findings after condyle and lateral atlantal mass removal. Aft
er condylectomy, the approach to anterior foramen magnum via both corr
idors was found to be shorter and the lateral angle of the exposure of
the anterior foramen magnum was found to be wider. The considerable s
hortening of the distances to the anterior foramen magnum especially i
n the superior corridor, emphasises the necessity of combining standar
d approaches with condylectomy. In addition, it was found that after c
ondylectomy, considerable widening of both transverse and longitudinal
planes in the inferior corridor allows the surgeon greater access to
work on lesions. Furthermore, the freed space between the superior cor
ridor and the inferior corridor,which was gained by condylectomy, show
s that condylectomy provides a combined approach to the inferior and s
uperior parts of the foramen magnum anteriorly.