Surgical approach: Posterior far-lateral suboccipital approach

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the relevant anatomy and the surgical technique of the far-lateral suboccipital approach. The original description of this approach was used for vertebral artery and vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms and for the removal of diverse tumors of the craniocervical junction. It can be used to treat a wide range of pathologies affecting the occipital bone, C1 and C2, the retro-odontoid region, as well as extra- or intradural tumors of the craniocervical junction. The main advantage of this approach is that it allows for simultaneous posterior fusion.