Application of the fronto-orbital approach in pediatric neurosurgery

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits and indications for fronto-orbital approach (FOA) in pédiatrie patients. Methods and Results: The authors report their recent experience with the use of the FOA in 6 patients, 5 male and 1 female. The ages ranged from 3.6 to 15 years (mean 9.7 years). Follow-up period extended from 6 to 15 months (mean 10.2 months). Two patients were operated on for large suprasellar craniopharyngiomas, 2 for giant hypothalamic-chiasmatic astrocytomas, 1 for a recurrent hypothalamic gangliocytoma, and 1 for a hypothalamic hamartoma. In 4 cases a neuronavigation system (BrainLab) was utilized. The lesions were removed totally in 4 patients and subtotally in 2 patients. There was no mortality in this series. There were no complications related to the surgical approach. Conclusions: The experience with this series of patients suggests that FOA is safe and beneficial in pédiatrie patients and provides an obvious improvement of exposure of the suprasellar area, which facilitates tumor removal.