Objectives During craniotomy for cerebellopontine angle (CPA) lesions, the exact exposure of the margin of the venous sinuses complex remains an essential but risky part of the procedure. Here, we revealed the exact position of the asterion and sinus complex by combining preoperative image information and intraoperative cranial landmarks, and analyzed their clinic-image relationship. Methods Ninety-four patients who underwent removal of vestibular schwannoma (VS) through retrosigmoid craniotomies were enrolled in the series. To determine the exact location of the sigmoid sinus and the transverse sinus and sigmoid sinus junction (TSSJ), we used preoperative images, such as computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with intraoperative anatomical landmarks. The distance between the asterion and the sigmoid sinus was measured using MRI T1 sequences with gadolinium and/or the CT bone window. Results In 94 cases of retrosigmoid craniotomies, the asterion lay an average of 12.71 mm on the posterior to the body surface projection to the TSSJ. Intraoperative cranial surface landmarks were used in combination with preoperative image information to identify the distance from the asterion to the sigmoid sinus at the transverse sinus level, allowing for an appropriate initial burr hole (the margin of the TSSJ). Conclusion By combining intraoperative anatomical landmarks and preoperative image information, the margin of the TSSJ, in particular, the inferior margin of the transverse sinus, can be well and thoroughly identified in the retrosigmoid approach.
Keywords: image; retrosigmoid approach; sinus localization; surface landmarks.
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