THE EFFECT OF CONDYLECTOMY ON EXTREME LATERAL TRANSCONDYLAR APPROACH TO THE ANTERIOR FORAMEN MAGNUM

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.