Petroclival Meningiomas: A Simple System That Could Help in Selecting the Approach.

Background: Petroclival meningiomas (PCM) represent a neurosurgical challenge due to their strategic location close to the brainstem.

Objective: To assess the applicability of a retrosigmoid approach (RSA) by analyzing the degree of displacement of the middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) elicited by PCM.

Methods: Patients with PCM were prospectively included and divided into those whose imaging studies showed that the posterior end of the MCP was displaced by the tumor and were eligible for and underwent RSA (group A) and those who were not eligible for RSA and who underwent surgery via a posterior transpetrosal approach (group B).

Nonglomic tumors of the jugular foramen: differential diagnosis and prognostic implications.

Objective: Tumors of the jugular foramen are notably rare, and the majority of them arise from the glomic tissue of the jugular vein. There are other tumors that do not originate from that tissue, and these are called the nonglomic tumors. This report includes a series of patients with nonglomic tumors of the jugular foramen to analyze their biological and radiological behavior and the clinical outcomes of patients.

[Giant clivus chordomas. Are extensive surgeries really justified?].

Because of their location and biological behavior, clivus chordomas are tumors that still represent a great challenge, mainly when they have reached huge dimensions. In this paper we have selected the patients with the biggest clivus chordomas to analyze if they really can be helped with the current surgical procedures with the morbidity that it implies. Eleven patients with giant clivus chordomas were included.