Skull Base Surgeries
Dr. Anstead is one of the most experienced Skull Base Surgeons in the Pacific Northwest, having performed thousands of complex sinus and endoscopic skull base surgeries and successfully treated patients from all over the world. Explore the sections below to review some of the specialized procedures Dr. Anstead performs including minimally invasive skull base surgery (brain surgery through the nose).
Endoscopic repair of CSF leak
Performed under general anesthesia, this operation allows the surgeon to work through the inside of the nose to find and repair a hole in the base of the skull that allows cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) to leak into the nose. This is a less invasive surgery than craniotomy and is performed using a nasal endoscope. The hole can be patched with the use of a graft called Alloderm and some of the mucosal tissue from within the nose. Benefits of this approach include less post-op pain, no visible scarring, and increased visibility for the surgeon.
Endoscopic repair of meningocele
A state-of-the-art, minimally invasive approach to treating meningocele. The surgery involves removing the protruding meningies and sealing off the defect with a graft while operating through the nose and sinuses. The surgeon uses a specially designed endoscope, which provides light and a lens for transmitting images to a monitor, allowing the surgeon to see clearly and spare the patient large incisions. Through the natural corridors within the nose, the surgeon can remove the meningoceles without making an external incision.
Endoscopic repair of encephalocele
To place the protruding part of the brain and the membranes that cover it back within the skull, a surgeon will use a specially designed endoscope to see and close the opening in the skull. This allows for a less invasive technique and prevents a large external incision from being made.
Endoscopic anterior skull base resections
Using an endoscope, the surgeon is able to remove skull-based tumors without making a large external incision. The surgeon can access the tumors through the sinus and nasal cavities by inserting the endoscope into the nose and using microsurgical instruments along with the endoscope to remove the tumor while preserving the normal structures around it.
Endoscopic resection of pituitary tumor
A pituitary tumor can lead to hormone problems and vision loss, but endoscopic pituitary surgery can reverse these symptoms even after they occur. The operation is performed through the nose and sphenoid sinus to remove the pituitary tumors using an endoscope along with long and small surgical instruments that can be inserted into the nostril. Openings are made within the sphenoid sinus to access and successfully remove the tumor, but the operation is considered far less invasive than open surgeries.
Endoscopic trans-sphenoidal resection of sellar tumors
Using an endoscope to access a tumor, and then remove it, the ENT surgeon enters through the nasal passages and sphenoid sinus by creating bony openings in the sphenoid sinus and sella of the skull base. It’s a minimally invasive procedure for pituitary tumor removal with no visible scarring on the face or scalp and less post-op pain.
Endoscopic medial maxillectomy
This operation removes benign or malignant sinus tumors by using an endoscope and other instruments to gain access to the maxillary sinus. Using an endoscope prevents cosmetic scarring that occurs with open surgery while allowing greater visualization for the surgeons without making large incisions. In addition to not leaving any visible scarring, performing an endoscopic medial maxillectomy allows the patient to go home the day of the surgery (avoiding a hospital stay) and there is less pain post-op than with an open procedure.
Endoscopic medial and inferior orbital decompressions
This surgery is performed to relieve exophthalmos, which causes the eyes to bulge and can lead to vision loss and diplopia. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia and uses an endoscope to enter through the nose, leaving no external bruising or swelling. The bones of the medial, and sometimes the inferior orbit, are removed to give the bones around the eye more space which allows for the eye to return to a more normal position.
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