Lateral suboccipital retrosigmoid retrocondylar approach for foramen magnum meningiomas

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to describe our approach and the surgical technique and analyze its safety and the outcome for foramen magnum meningiomas (FMMs). METHODS: From 1986 to 2016, 15 FMM patients were operated on using the lateral suboccipital retrocondylar approach. RESULTS: In this series, there were 12 (80%) female and 3 (20%) male patients. The patients ranged in age from 33 to 63 years. There was no operative dead, but two patients died during the follow-up period, which varied from 1 to 24 years (mean, 10.2 years). Twelve patients (80%) achieved Glasgow Outcome Scale 4 or 5. Gross total resection was achieved in 13 (86.6.7%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of FMM can be safely removed using the lateral suboccipital retrocondylar approach without condylar resection, associated to meticulous microsurgical technique.