Combined microsurgical and endoscopic removal of extensive suprasellar and prepontine epidermoid tumors.

Epidermoids tend to grow around and adhere to critical neurovascular structures, but total or maximal tumor removal is recommended to reduce the risk of recurrence. We describe our method of combined microscopic and endoscopic resection for extensive epidermoid tumors. Thirteen patients with epidermoid tumors located in the suprasellar, prepontine, or surrounding cisterns underwent microsurgical resection with a rigid endoscope and a high definition camera system. An anterior petrosal and/or a pterional approach was selected in 6 patients and a lateral suboccipital approach in 7 patients. An endoscope was used with the operating microscope to remove 6 tumors through the anterior petrosal and/or pterional approaches in 5 cases and the lateral suboccipital approach in 1 case. An endoscope was used to confirm microscopic removal in 5 patients. Total removal was achieved in 5 patients and subtotal removal in 8 patients. We recommend the combined microsurgical and endoscopic approaches to achieve maximal resection of extensive suprasellar and prepontine epidermoids.