Anatomy of Cranial Nerves seen by Endoscope

Abstract

One of the problems in gross anatomy to describe the origin and intracranial course of cranial nerves is we have to remove the brain out of the neurocranium. By this procedure we destroy the subarachnoid cisterns and the relationship to neighbourly structures. The individual anatomy of the specimen provides the basic knowledge for planning the approach. The task of this kind of approach planning is to define the given anatomical spaces between structures, which can be used a pathway. In general for endoscopy we need space and light. That leads us to the old discussion : microsurgical anatomy - endoscopic anatomy - surgical anatomy – systematic anatomy or topographic anatomy à THERE EXISTS ONLY ONE GROSS ANATOMY. For the cranial nerves we use following approaches: 1) supraorbital, 2) transclival, 3) retrosigmoidal and 4) through the foramen magnum. The main anatomical structures seen by endoscopical wiew will be described.