Dorsolateral Approach to the Clivus and Foramen Magnum

Abstract

This modification of the lateral suboccipital standard approach was first mentioned in 1985 by Koos et al. (1985) and later on set out in detail by Perneczky (1986). The approach seems particularly suited for reaching lesions on the ventral rim of the foramen magnum or in the lower half of the clivus. This goes especially for so-called craniospinal meningiomas, which are usually situated at the anterior circumference of the foramen magnum. The approach also lends itself well to treating aneurysms of the vertebral artery, the vertebral junction, and the caudal basilar artery (Heros 1986).