Retrosigmoid approach to the posterior and middle fossae

Abstract

Since the first description of the unilateral approach to the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) in 1903 by Fedor Krause [22, 23], several techniques were developed by Cushing [7], Seiffert [47], Dandy [8-10], House [18, 19], and Fisch [13] among others in order to access the CPA structures. Surgery of the CPA is ruled by three approaches: the transtemporal extradural approach, the transmastoid translabyrinthine approach, and the lateral suboccipital or retrosigmoid approach [37]. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.