Surgery of the clivus and anterior cervical spine.

Traumatic, degenerative, benign, and malignant lesions of the clivus and cervical spine were treated by three basic surgical procedures. Midline skull base lesions in the nasopharynx, clivus, and C-1 were approached via the transmandibular and transcervical route. Lesions of C-2 and C-3 were operated on through a high transcervical route (above the hypoglossal nerve). A low transcervical route was used for lesions at the level of C-4 to C-7.