The likelihood of rupture of unruptured intracranial aneurysms that were less than 10 mm in diameter was exceedingly low among patients in group 1 and was substantially higher among those in group 2. The risk of morbidity and mortality related to surgery greatly exceeded the 7.5-year risk of rupture among patients in group 1 with unruptured intracranial aneurysms smaller than 10 mm in diameter.

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Twenty-four medically refractory seizure patients, who did not qualify for excisional surgery, had anterior two-thirds corpus callosum section. Three to 11 years' postoperative follow-up suggests that this procedure can (1) lateralize a frontal lobe focus, which may lead to subsequent localized excision and (2) significantly reduce seizure frequency and severity in 75% of the patients without giving any permanent neurologic deficits. Patients with an ictal focus confined to one frontal lobe did best (8/8 improved), followed by patients with secondarily generalized seizures and multifocal bilateral foci (5/6 improved). Patients with mental retardation benefited less frequently (5/10 improved), but 4/4 from this group with ictal falls associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome did benefit. In this series, the improvements following the anterior partial section were lasting if present at 1 year of follow-up. Anterior corpus callosum section should be considered as a diagnostic (lateralizing) and therapeutic option in appropriately defined medically refractory patients who do not qualify for excisional surgery.

An extension of a combined frontotemporal and orbitozygomatic exposure was developed to remove 8 hyperostosing invasive sphenoid wing meningiomas (Group 1) and 11 complicated intraorbital tumors with and without intracranial extension (Group 2). Two separate bone flaps were created: a free frontotemporal-sphenoidal (pterional) bone flap and en bloc removal of the superior and lateral orbital margins with attached zygomatic arch. Cranio-orbital reconstruction was performed using the inner table of the pterional bone flap. Complete tumor removal was achieved in 14 patients and near total removal in 5. There was no mortality and in those patients who did not require orbital exenteration excellent to good cosmetic results were achieved in all but one case. This approach affords a wide exposure of the orbit and anterior and middle skull base, so that large tumors of the orbit and tumors involving the orbital apex, sphenoid wing, and infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossae can be removed.