A two-staged operation for the giant craniopharyngioma: Endoscopy-assisted interhemispheric approach and transcallosal approach

Jun Hyeok Jung; Dong-Won Shin; Gi-Taek Yee

doi:10.55911/JKSBS.23.0032

A two-staged operation for the giant craniopharyngioma: Endoscopy-assisted interhemispheric approach and transcallosal approach

J Korean Skull Base Soc 2024;19(1):66-73

Published online May 30, 2024

Jun Hyeok Jung, Dong-Won Shin, Gi-Taek Yee

Department of Neurosurgery, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea

Correspondence to: Dong-Won Shin
E-mail dwshinns@gmail.com
ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8163-3357

Received December 31, 2023; Revised January 16, 2024; Accepted January 17, 2024.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract: Giant craniopharyngiomas (CPs) present a challenge for neurosurgeons in terms of treatment. The complex clinical course, which includes both surgical and non-surgical aspects, remains a significant hurdle to overcome. While most CPs are treated using an endoscopic endonasal approach regardless of their size, skull base reconstruction to prevent cerebrospinal fluid leakage becomes a subsequent concern after surgery. In this case report, we present a giant CP that occupies the anterior cranial fossa, third ventricle, and posterior fossa, extending as low as the internal acoustic meatus level. We conducted a two-staged operation, consisting of the endoscope-assisted interhemispheric approach and the transcallosal approach, to remove the tumor. The endoscopic view provided a unique anatomical perspective of the tumor, cranial nerves, vessels, and Liliequist membrane.; Keywords : Craniopharyngioma, Neuroendoscopy, Neurosurgical procedures, Brain neoplasms