ABSTRACT

Endoscopic interventions are rapidly replacing conventional methods in neurosurgical applications. The main purpose of this study was to examine the neurovascular structures in the pons-cerebellum cistern in detail through the endoscopic retrosigmoid suboccipital approach and to make morphometric measurements.

In five human dry cadavers, pons-cerebellum cisterna was examined by endoscopic retrosigmoid approach. Relations with the vascular structures surrounding the nerves, the dimensions of the craniectomy diameter, the distances of the petrosal vein and the trigeminal and facial–vestibulocochlear nerves to the dura, the length of the nerves, the diameter of the trigeminal nerves, and the distance between the nerves and petrosal vein were measured.

The distances between the dura and the petrosal vein, trigeminal nerve and facial-vestibulocochlear nerves were 34–53 mm (mean, 43.5 mm), 46–62 mm (mean, 54.1 mm), and 37–47 mm (mean, 42 mm), respectively. The diameter of the trigeminal nerve was measured as 1.27–3.27 mm (mean, 1.8 mm). The distances between the petrosal vein and the trigeminal nerve and facial–vestibulocochlear nerves were 6–13 mm (mean, 9.5 mm) and 6–12 mm (mean, 8.6 mm), respectively, and the distance between the trigeminal nerve and facial–vestibulocochlear nerves was 9-15 mm (mean, 10.1 mm). Arterial compression was observed at the five trigeminal nerves and five fascial-vestibulocochlear nerves.

In this study, pons-cerebellum cistern and anatomical neurovascular structures in this place were able to examine with endoscope in detail. Vascular compression was frequently observed in trigeminal nerve and facial–vestibulocochlear nerves.

Keywords: Dry cadaver, neuroendoscopy, trigeminal neuralgia, pontocerebellar cistern