Intraoperative Monitoring for Cranial Base Tumors

Abstract

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring is used to guide surgery and predict the postoperative neurological function of patients. Surgery for basal neurosurgical tumors is fraught with difficulties due to the important neurovascular anatomy at risk. During these often long surgical cases, the function of the nerves and long tracts at risk can be monitored, giving the surgeon near real time feedback on how the patient is doing and what functions if any are being affected. This information is useful in trying to reduce and prevent injuries for quality control and improve patient outcomes. With the advent and effectiveness of alternative treatment strategies for many of these tumors, such as focused stereotactic radiation as primary treatment or surgery plus radiation (for planned subtotal resections), surgical outcomes need to be looked at critically; it becomes necessary to be able to perform these operations with minimal morbidity. Intraoperative monitoring is an adjunct to surgery that aids the surgeon in procedures for patients with these difficult tumors.