Craniofacial access in children.

We have used craniofacial access in 20 children (age range 3/12-14 years) for complex skull base/intracranial pathology over the past 5 years. The majority of the patients had a tumour-7 of the skull base, 5 extensive suprasellar lesions and 3 acoustic neuromas; 4 had an aneurysm or AVM and in 1 there was a congenital problem. This extended application of established adult techniques in a paediatric practice emphasises the fundamental point that the quintessence of good surgical practice is the construction of an operation for the individual patient's pathology. We therefore used transzygomatic, orbital, transoral, transmandibular, petrous, transcondylar, translabyrinthine and transbasal access techniques. Good function and cosmesis with minimal complications were achieved. We have not observed complications with craniofacial growth and the majority of patients were able to return to normal school. The range of approaches used emphasise the importance of a multidisciplinary team with both paediatric and neurosurgical expertise, especially with complex vascular and skull base pathology, in dealing with these difficult problems. The case for specialist referral merits some discussion within the representative bodies of paediatric neurosurgeons.