The juxtacondylar approach to the jugular foramen (without petrous bone drilling).

BACKGROUND: Surgical access to the jugular foramen is generally realized through the infratemporal approach, requires petrous bone drilling with facial nerve exposure and sometimes transposition. This is a rather complex and time-consuming technique that exposes the patient to complications such as deafness and facial nerve palsy.
METHODS: The juxtacondylar approach we propose in this paper needs only a partial mastoidectomy and exposure of the distal cervical segment of the vertebral artery (above C2). The transverse process of the atlas is completely removed so as to permit progress upward along the lateral mass of the atlas and the occipital condyle. The vertebral artery rarely has to be transposed.
RESULTS: The main indication for the juxtacondylar approach is neurinoma and meningioma of the jugular foramen. For tumors like paraganglioma extending into the petrous bone, the juxtacondylar approach can be combined with an infratemporal approach. The juxtacondylar approach has been used in seven cases including three neurinomas, three paragangliomas and one meningioma. Exposure was quite satisfactory on both intra- and extradural parts in all cases.
CONCLUSIONS: The juxtacondylar approach is a different way to expose the jugular foramen region. Compared to the standard infratemporal approach, it is a complementary rather than an alternative technique; the exposure is rather on the posteroinferior side for the juxtacondylar approach and on the anterosuperior side for the infratemporal approach.