The base or bottom of the skull is a key region of the body where the head and neck meet. The anatomy of this region is incredibly intricate. Nerves that form in the brain and brainstem travel through tunnels in this region in order to reach other parts of the body and perform essential life functions.
At USF Health, a team of highly trained neurosurgeons and otolaryngologists provide complex surgeries to the skull base region, ranging from minimally invasive endoscopic nasal surgery to traditional open skull base procedures.
Skull base disorders:
- Lateral skull base
- Meningiomas
- Acoustic neuromas
- Jugular tumors (glomus jugulare)
- Other skull base tumors
- Facial nerve disorders
- Spinal fluid (CSF) leaks
- Temporal bone tumors and cancers
- Skull bone infection (skull base osteomyelitis)
Anterior skull base conditions:
- Pituitary gland tumors
- Growths caused by chronic infection (mucoceles)
- Cancers of the nose and sinuses
- Benign nasal and sinus tumors
- Chordomas
- Meningiomas
- Masses of the eye socket (orbit)
- Spinal fluid (CSF) leaks
- Advanced allergic fungal sinusitis
Special services provided:
- Minimally-invasive pituitary surgery
- Minimally-invasive endonasal skull base surgery
- Open skull base surgery including craniofacial resection
- Intraoperative image guided surgery
- Gamma knife and skull base radiotherapy
- A multidisciplinary “tumor board” approach to all cases
