Descripción: posición: existen 3 posiciones descritas para la realización de este abordaje, semisentada, decubito dorsal y en banco de plaza. Incisión: se extiende desde la parte superior del pabellón auricular hasta 2 cm por debajo del vertice mastoideo, y 1 cm medial a la ranura digástrica. Disección de partes blandas: se realiza una disección subperiostica, teniendo especial cuidado con la vena hemisaria mastoidea (posible fuente de embolia aérea). Craniectomía: es necesario identificar previamente algunos puntos anatómicos de referencia para la ubicación de los senos transverso y sigmoides. En la etapa final de la remoción ósea, se procede al fresado de la porción más superior y lateral del abordaje, con la necesaria exposición de la porción inferior del seno transverso y de la porción medial del seno sigmoides. Apertura dural: se realiza una apertura en forma de letra “C” (lado izquierdo), o letra “C invertida” (lado derecho), con base medial, comenzando en la porción superior y medial de duramadre expuesta. Disección microquirúrgica: dependiendo de la ubicación de la patologia a abordar se debe realizar una retracción gentil del hemisferio cerebeloso hacia medial. En la mayoría de los casos es necesario abrir la cisterna cerebelobulbar, con el objeto de evacuar LCR.
Conclusión: el refinamiento alcanzado actualmente hace que el abordaje retrosigmoideo sea el más utilizado para el tratamiento de las múltiples patologías ubicadas en la región del ángulo pontocerebeloso. El acceso que proporciona esta vía a la mayoría de los nervios craneales que se encuentran en la fosa posterior, y a sus complejos neurovasculares correspondientes, lo convierte en un abordaje de obligatorio aprendizaje para todo neurocirujano.]]> Description: patient position: three potential positions have been described for this approach: semi-sitting, dorsal decubitus and park bench. Incision: The incision extends from the top of the ear to 2 cm below the mastoid apex, and 1 cm medial to the digastric groove. Soft tissue dissection: A subperiosteal dissection is performed, taking special care to avoid the mastoid emissary vein. Craniotomy: At the outset, it is necessary to identify certain anatomical landmarks to localize the transverse and sigmoid sinuses. Dural opening: The dural incision is made in the shape of the letter “C” on the left side or an inverted letter “C” on the right. Microsurgical dissection: Depending on the location of the pathology being treated, it may be necessary to perform gentle cerebellar retraction medially.
Conclusions: the refinements now achieved with the retrosigmoid approach make it the most widely-used approach for the treatment of lesions located within the CPA. The access provided by this approach to the vast majority of the cranial nerves in the posterior fossa, as well as their neurovascular complexes, makes it a mandatory approach for all neurosurgeons to learn.]]>

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]]> Description. Case one. 37-year- old male suffering pain in the posterior region of the left half of the tongue for 3 years. The diagnosis was left glossopharyngeal neuralgia. We performed microvascular decompression with Teflon felt. The patient has improved however he is still under medication. Case two. 59-year-old female suffering pain in the posterior third of the left half of the tongue. The diagnosis was left glossopharyngeal neuralgia. We performed microvascular decompression with Teflon. Symptoms completely disappeared.
Conclusion. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is infrequent. It can be treated with microvascular decompression with good results.]]> Method. We present 26 patients with intracranial schwannomas for a period of 10 years treated with surgery, analyze kind of presentation and postoperative results.
Results. One of the cases corresponded to schwanoma of III pair, another case to schwanoma of the V pair, two other cases corresponded to schwanoma of the IX pair and twenty two cases corresponded to schwanomas of the VIII pair.
Average age was 51,95 años (19-73). Total resection was made in 25 patients, partial resection was made in other. Facial nerve preservation was made in the remaining 22 patients. Preservation auditory nerve function was made in all the cases. We had 3 cases of cerebrospinal fluid leak.There were no mortal cases associated to the surgical procedure.
Conclusion. The goal of treatment of intracranial schwanomas is total resection with anatomical and functional preservation of neurological structures around. This could be accomplished by retrosigmoid approach by experienced neurosurgeons.]]>