Endoscopic endonasal transclival approach for a ventral brainstem epidermoid cyst: illustrative case

BACKGROUND: Intracranial epidermoid cysts are benign, slow-growing malformations that most commonly arise at the skull base. Maximizing resection of the cyst contents and the capsule reduces long-term recurrence but can be made difficult by cyst wall adherence to critical neurovascular structures. Expanded endonasal approaches (EEAs) offer an alternative to traditional open transcranial approaches for accessible epidermoid cysts. In this case report, the authors demonstrate a transclival EEA for a large, ventral brainstem epidermoid cyst. OBSERVATIONS: A 41-year-old woman who presented with progressive headaches, diplopia, malaise, and fatigue was found to have a 4.7-cm midline, ventral brainstem epidermoid cyst. She underwent an expanded endonasal transclival approach that exposed the brainstem from the level of the dorsum sella to the tip of the basion. A near-total resection was completed with removal of all cyst contents and most of the capsular wall. Reconstruction was completed with Duragen, an autologous fat graft, and a nasoseptal flap. Postoperatively, she had a partial left cranial nerve VI palsy that remained stable 8 weeks after surgery. LESSONS: The expanded endoscopic transclival approach can facilitate effective resection of midline, ventral epidermoid cysts.