Endoscopic Endonasal Cranial Base Surgery in the Pediatric Population: Outcomes and Complications in 54 Young Patients: 848

INTRODUCTION: The University of Pittsburgh has accumulated experience in more than 700 patients with cranial base pathology using a purely endoscopic, endonasal approach. We report our experience with the pediatric patient population.

METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with 18 years or younger who had expanded endonasal approaches performed in the years 2000 to 2007 was conducted. Medical records and imaging studies were reviewed.

RESULTS: Fifty-four patients, 18 years of age or less, underwent surgery for cranial base pathology via a purely endoscopic approach. Only two of these patients required a sublabial incision. All of the other patients were treated through an isolated endonasal approach. The mean age was 14 years (range, 3–18 yr). There were 16 girls and 38 boys in the group. The most common pathology encountered was juvenile angiofibromas present in 12 patients (22%) followed by pituitary tumors in 11 patients (25%) and chordomas in 5 patients...