Synchronous endoscopy and microsurgery: a novel strategy to approach complex ventricular lesions. Report of three cases.

Simultaneous endoscopic and microsurgical (synchronous) approaches represent a new paradigm in the treatment of complex ventricular lesions. This technique is well suited for lesions that involve multiple ventricular or cisternal compartments, have a nonlinear axis, or adhere to critical anatomical or neurovascular structures. Two distinct operative corridors, one endoscopic and the other microsurgical, are used during synchronous approaches to address such lesions, increasing the likelihood of a safe and complete resection. The authors present the cases of two children and an adult treated via synchronous approaches. All patients had multi-compartmental lesions involving the ventricles and/or cisterns. One patient presented with a suprasellar Rathke cyst with a significant third ventricular component, one with a hypothalamic hamartoma having a substantial cisternal component, and the remaining patient with a choroid plexus papilloma in the left lateral ventricle that extended from midbody to the temporal horn. In the cases of the Rathke cyst and the hamartoma, debulking in the third ventricle and controlled detachment of the lesion from the hypothalamus were undertaken using endoscopy, and simultaneous resection of the suprasellar component was performed through a subfrontal craniotomy. In the case of the choroid plexus papilloma, selective cautery of the choroidal feeding vessels and detachment from the temporal tela choroidea were performed using endoscopy, and the tumor from the ventricular body to the atrium was resected via a craniotomy. In each case the resection concluded with the intersection of endoscopic and microsurgical fields. All three patients had good outcomes. Endoscopic and microsurgical approaches can be used concurrently to treat multicompartment ventricular and/or cisternal lesions with good results. The probable advantages of this method are more complete resection and improved safety.