Endoscopic endonasal approach to the pterygopalatine fossa: anatomic study.

Objective: The pterygopalatine fossa is a relatively small anatomic region. Because of its rich vasculonervous contents and its connections with several intracranial and extracranial compartments, it is of particular surgical interest. Because of its deep localization and despite its small size, however, it can require extensive anatomic approaches, especially for invasive cranial base lesions.

Endoscopic endonasal treatment of a spontaneous temporosphenoidal encephalocele with a detachable silicone balloon. Case report.

Temporosphenoidal encephaloceles are rare entities that occur when the temporal lobe herniates into the sphenoid sinus through a skull base defect of the temporal bone. Both an iatrogenic and a traumatic pathogenesis have been proposed. The authors describe a spontaneously occurring temporosphenoidal encephalocele in a 63-year-old woman who had a 4-year history of rhinorrhea.