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Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery pp 91–146Cite as

Surgical anatomy of the petrous apex and petroclival region

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Part of the book series: Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery ((NEUROSURGERY,volume 32))

Abstract

Surgical exposure of the clivus, the ventral or lateral aspect of the brain stem, and all the intradural structures of the petroclival area remains difficult because of the presence of the petrous apex and peripetrous complex. However, a lateral skull base approach to the petroclival area is the most suitable approach if the lesion to be resected lies medial to the fifth nerve, in front of the acousticofacial bundles, extending towards the midline. The purpose of this study is to review the topographic anatomy of the petrous apex and peripetrous structures, with emphasis on the relationships important to the lateral approaches to the petroclival area. Such anatomical knowledge allows us to study the surgical technique, exposure, and pitfalls of the main lateral transpetrosal skull base approaches used to reach the petroclival area.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departement de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Ste Marguerite, Marseille, France

    P. -H. Roche

  2. Departement de Neurochirurgie, Laboratoire d’Anatomie, Faculté de Médecine, Angers, France

    H. -D. Fournier & P. Mercier

Authors
  1. H. -D. Fournier
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  2. P. Mercier
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  3. P. -H. Roche
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cambridge

    J. D. Pickard (Editor-in-Chief) (Editor-in-Chief)

  2. Ankara

    N. Akalan

  3. Roma

    C. Di Rocco

  4. Ljubljana

    V. V. Dolenc

  5. Lisbon

    J. Lobo Antunes

  6. Groningen

    J. J. A. Mooij

  7. Bonn

    J. Schramm

  8. Lyon

    M. Sindou

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© 2007 Springer-Verlag/Wien

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Fournier, H.D., Mercier, P., Roche, P.H. (2007). Surgical anatomy of the petrous apex and petroclival region. In: Pickard, J.D., et al. Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery. Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery, vol 32. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-47423-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-47423-5_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-47416-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-211-47423-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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