Skull Base Surgery

The combined resources of the Departments of Neurological Surgery and Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery, and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) offer a unique amalgamated resource to provide optimal access to pathological processes that extend beyond the traditional confines of any one of these disciplines. By merging the surgical expertise of these distinct disciplines, the Center provides an opportunity to maximize the surgical resection of lesions of the skull base that cross the boundaries that limit the efficacy of each discipline.

A list of tumors for which either a team approach or a specified cranial base strategy may be necessary include:

• Complex Meningiomas
• Head and Neck Cancers
• Chordomas
• Chondrosarcomas
• Cholesterol Granulomas
• Epidermoids
• Facial Nerve Tumors
• Glomus Jugulare Tumors

Other conditions where cranial base expertise is of primary importance include:

• Giant or complex cerebral aneurysms
• Arteriovenous Fistulae, including carotid cavernous fistulae
• Cerebro Spinal Fluid Leaks

The Department of Neurosurgery at University of Southern California enjoys an international reputation both from the standpoint of having developed surgical techniques in dealing with the cranial base as well as teaching those techniques to other neurosurgical practitioners.

For further information or to schedule an appointment please contact the Neurosurgery clinical office at (323) 442-5720