What is Pterional approach?
What is Pterional approach?
The pterional craniotomy is a unique approach that provides wide access to the skull base. It is named after the pterion, the junction point of 4 bones within the skull (frontal, temporal, greater wing of sphenoid, parietal) and is considered a fundamental tool in the armamentarium of the neurosurgeon.
What is Pterional?
The pterion is the region where the frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid bones join. It is located on the side of the skull, just behind the temple.
How thick is the pterion?
1-4.4 mm thick
The temporal region includes the pterion bone which is the thinnest portion of the human skull measuring 1-4.4 mm thick [23] .
Which suture of the skull forms the horizontal bar of the H that is known as the anterior pterion?
sphenoparietal suture
The sphenoparietal suture lies between the two bones that it is named after and forms the horizontal bar of the H that is known as the anterior pterion. The squamous suture divides the temporal bone from the parietal bone.
How do you get a pterional craniotomy?
Procedure summary
- Patient preparation.
- Skin incision.
- Scalp dissection.
- Temporalis muscle incision.
- Retraction of scalp/temporalis flaps.
- Drilling of keyhole burrhole.
- Craniotomy and bone flap removal.
- Drilling of sphenoid wing.
Why is the pterion clinically significant?
The pterion is known as the weakest part of the skull. Clinically, the pterion is relevant because the middle meningeal artery runs beneath it, on the inner side of the skull, which is quite thin at this point. A blow to the pterion (e.g. in boxing) may rupture the artery causing an extradural haematoma.
Is a craniotomy a serious surgery?
A craniotomy is a brain surgery that involves the temporary removal of bone from the skull to make repairs in the brain. It is highly intensive and comes with certain risks, which make it a serious surgery.
Can you live a normal life after a craniotomy?
Everyone recovers differently after brain surgery. It can take weeks to recover from less invasive brain surgeries. Or it may take months for you to heal from a major procedure like a craniotomy. Talk to your healthcare provider about when it’s safe to return to work and normal activities.
What sutures meet pterion?
The pterion is a craniometric point near the sphenoid fontanelle of the skull. It is a point of convergence of the sutures between the frontal, sphenoid, parietal, and squamous temporal bones [1]. There are varied patterns of articulation of these bones and sometimes a small epipteric bone may be present.
What is the asterion?
The asterion is an anatomical landmark on the lateral aspect of the skull formed at the junction of the occipital bone, the temporal bone, and the parietal bone.
What sutures meet at the Asterion?
It is the point where three cranial sutures meet: the lambdoid suture. parietomastoid suture. occipitomastoid suture.