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How I do it: exoscopic minimally invasive pericranial flap harvest for endoscopic anterior skull base reconstruction

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The pericranial flap is a reliable option for reconstructing the anterior skull base in extended endoscopic endonasal procedures when the nasoseptal flap is unavailable or insufficient. METHODS: We describe a minimally invasive and fast technique for harvesting a vascularized pericranial flap using a three-dimensional exoscope through a small frontal incision, with simultaneous endoscopic endonasal placement, for anterior skull base reconstruction. CONCLUSION: Exoscope-assisted pericranial flap harvest provides excellent visualization, ergonomics, and flap control, enabling reliable orbit-to-orbit coverage of large anterior skull base defects with low donor-site morbidity when intranasal vascularized options are limited.

Source: Acta Neurochirurgica

DOI: 10.1007/s00701-026-06828-0

Authors: Markus K. H. Wiedmann, Johan Edvard Steineger, Daniel Dahlberg, Sinan Dheyauldeen

Institutions: Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo

Language: English

Topic: Head and Neck Surgical Oncology

Subfield: Surgery

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,990