Skull base surgery refers to surgery performed on the base of the skull, which is usually a difficult area to operate on, as it includes openings through which the spinal cord, many blood vessels and nerves pass.

This type of surgery is most often done to remove benign or cancerous tumors, as well as abnormalities of the underside of the brain, the skull base or the top vertebrae of the spinal column. This area is very difficult to see and reach.

Thus, skull base surgery is usually performed with a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure in which surgical instruments are inserted through natural openings in the skull such as the nose or mouth or through a small incision above the eyebrow.

Before endoscopic surgery was developed, surgeons could only remove tumors in this area by making an opening in the skull—and in some cases, this traditional type of surgery is still  necessary.

Skull base surgery most often involves a team of specialists, including ear, nose and throat surgeons, neurosurgeons and radiologists.

Surgical instruments set for microsurgery of skull base K. Storz catalogue – Instruments according to Prof. P. Mortini

Storz catalogue