Occipital transtentorial approach for posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane: A technical note

Background: The occipital transtentorial approach (OTA) is a well-established technique for accessing lesions in the pineal region, posterior third ventricle, and dorsal midbrain. Compared to the supracerebellar infratentorial approach, OTA provides superior visualization without cerebellar obstruct...

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Main Authors: Hideo Ohba, Toshiyuki Tsuboi, Yuko Miyazaki, Yosuke Kajihara, Shigeyuki Sakamoto, Kazutoshi Mukada, Shinji Ohba
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:World Neurosurgery: X
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590139725000675
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author Hideo Ohba
Toshiyuki Tsuboi
Yuko Miyazaki
Yosuke Kajihara
Shigeyuki Sakamoto
Kazutoshi Mukada
Shinji Ohba
author_facet Hideo Ohba
Toshiyuki Tsuboi
Yuko Miyazaki
Yosuke Kajihara
Shigeyuki Sakamoto
Kazutoshi Mukada
Shinji Ohba
author_sort Hideo Ohba
collection DOAJ
description Background: The occipital transtentorial approach (OTA) is a well-established technique for accessing lesions in the pineal region, posterior third ventricle, and dorsal midbrain. Compared to the supracerebellar infratentorial approach, OTA provides superior visualization without cerebellar obstruction. However, its application to posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane remains underexplored, and its lateral limitations have not been clearly defined. Case presentation: A 65-year-old woman with a symptomatic cerebellar tentorial meningioma located away from the midsagittal plane underwent tumor resection via OTA. A stepwise cerebrospinal fluid drainage strategy was employed to minimize brain retraction and optimize surgical exposure. The craniotomy extended across the superior sagittal and transverse sinuses to maximize visualization. The cranial limit was defined by the ascending vein joining the superior sagittal sinus, while the lateral limit was delineated by the confluence of the Vein of Labbé with the transverse sinus. No postoperative complications or permanent neurological deficits were observed. Discussion: A literature review revealed a lack of detailed reports on OTA for posterior fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane. We propose that the Vein of Labbé serves as a key anatomical landmark defining the lateral boundary of OTA. Embryological evidence further supports its validity as an anatomical constraint. Conclusion: This report provides a detailed description of OTA for posterior fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane. Our findings highlight the importance of the Vein of Labbé as a lateral boundary, necessitating further case accumulation and comparative studies to refine OTA indications.
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spelling doaj-art-5f72e88fdd2e40e6a177a14a29bedac72025-08-20T03:08:17ZengElsevierWorld Neurosurgery: X2590-13972025-10-012810049310.1016/j.wnsx.2025.100493Occipital transtentorial approach for posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane: A technical noteHideo Ohba0Toshiyuki Tsuboi1Yuko Miyazaki2Yosuke Kajihara3Shigeyuki Sakamoto4Kazutoshi Mukada5Shinji Ohba6Department of Neurosurgery, Itsukaichi Memorial Hospital, Seifu Health Care Group, Kurashige 1-95, Saeki-ku, Hiroshima, 731-5156, Hiroshima, Japan; Corresponding author.Department of Neurosurgery, Itsukaichi Memorial Hospital, Seifu Health Care Group, Kurashige 1-95, Saeki-ku, Hiroshima, 731-5156, Hiroshima, JapanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Itsukaichi Memorial Hospital, Seifu Health Care Group, Kurashige 1-95, Saeki-ku, Hiroshima, 731-5156, Hiroshima, JapanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Itsukaichi Memorial Hospital, Seifu Health Care Group, Kurashige 1-95, Saeki-ku, Hiroshima, 731-5156, Hiroshima, JapanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Itsukaichi Memorial Hospital, Seifu Health Care Group, Kurashige 1-95, Saeki-ku, Hiroshima, 731-5156, Hiroshima, JapanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Itsukaichi Memorial Hospital, Seifu Health Care Group, Kurashige 1-95, Saeki-ku, Hiroshima, 731-5156, Hiroshima, JapanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Kure Medical Center and Chugoku Cancer Center, National Hospital Organization, Aoyama-Cho 3-1, Kure, 737-0023, Hiroshima, JapanBackground: The occipital transtentorial approach (OTA) is a well-established technique for accessing lesions in the pineal region, posterior third ventricle, and dorsal midbrain. Compared to the supracerebellar infratentorial approach, OTA provides superior visualization without cerebellar obstruction. However, its application to posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane remains underexplored, and its lateral limitations have not been clearly defined. Case presentation: A 65-year-old woman with a symptomatic cerebellar tentorial meningioma located away from the midsagittal plane underwent tumor resection via OTA. A stepwise cerebrospinal fluid drainage strategy was employed to minimize brain retraction and optimize surgical exposure. The craniotomy extended across the superior sagittal and transverse sinuses to maximize visualization. The cranial limit was defined by the ascending vein joining the superior sagittal sinus, while the lateral limit was delineated by the confluence of the Vein of Labbé with the transverse sinus. No postoperative complications or permanent neurological deficits were observed. Discussion: A literature review revealed a lack of detailed reports on OTA for posterior fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane. We propose that the Vein of Labbé serves as a key anatomical landmark defining the lateral boundary of OTA. Embryological evidence further supports its validity as an anatomical constraint. Conclusion: This report provides a detailed description of OTA for posterior fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane. Our findings highlight the importance of the Vein of Labbé as a lateral boundary, necessitating further case accumulation and comparative studies to refine OTA indications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590139725000675Occipital transtentorial approach (OTA)Superior lateral cerebellar lesionVein of LabbéSurgical boundaryMicrosurgical approach
spellingShingle Hideo Ohba
Toshiyuki Tsuboi
Yuko Miyazaki
Yosuke Kajihara
Shigeyuki Sakamoto
Kazutoshi Mukada
Shinji Ohba
Occipital transtentorial approach for posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane: A technical note
World Neurosurgery: X
Occipital transtentorial approach (OTA)
Superior lateral cerebellar lesion
Vein of Labbé
Surgical boundary
Microsurgical approach
title Occipital transtentorial approach for posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane: A technical note
title_full Occipital transtentorial approach for posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane: A technical note
title_fullStr Occipital transtentorial approach for posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane: A technical note
title_full_unstemmed Occipital transtentorial approach for posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane: A technical note
title_short Occipital transtentorial approach for posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane: A technical note
title_sort occipital transtentorial approach for posterior cranial fossa lesions located away from the midsagittal plane a technical note
topic Occipital transtentorial approach (OTA)
Superior lateral cerebellar lesion
Vein of Labbé
Surgical boundary
Microsurgical approach
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590139725000675
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