Cranial-orbital approaches for vascular pathology: A review of surgical approach selection and technical considerations.

Background: Modified cranial approaches for vascular pathology are sometimes necessary to enhance exposure and can be tailored by the pathology treated and surgical conditions. The authors outline these approaches, comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Methods: Surgical footage of the senior author performing cranial-orbital skull base approaches for intracranial aneurysms as part of routine care was reviewed to identify and describe the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches to vascular pathology. The variations of cranial-orbital approaches included supraorbital, lateral supraorbital (LSO), orbito-pterional, cranio-orbital, and transcavernous approaches. Four illustrative cases are included. The literature was also reviewed for a concise compilation and summary of technical considerations and comparisons of cranial-orbital approaches for the microsurgical treatment of vascular pathology.

Results: The supraorbital approach provides a trajectory along the orbital roof, allowing access to anterior circulation aneurysms without drilling the anterior clinoid process. While this approach is suited for inferiorly and anteriorly projecting anterior communicating artery (AcomA) aneurysms, orbito-pterional approaches are better suited for superiorly projecting AcomA aneurysms. The LSO approach allows access to anterior circulation and low-lying basilar apex lesions. The orbito-pterional approach is an "outside-in" approach to access the intracranial space from the orbit; the cranio-orbital approach is considered an "inside-out" approach to access the orbit from the intracranial space.

Conclusion: Modifications of the traditional pterional craniotomy are useful for various anterior and posterior circulation vascular pathologies. Extensions of these surgical corridors with transcavernous approaches can also be useful. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each is important in optimal approach selection.