Embolization of skull base tumors: Institutional experience

Introduction: The bleeding during surgery for tumors located at skull base can be torrential. The preoperative embolisation can minimize the blood loss and can create a comfortable environment for surgeon to operate these highly vascular tumors. Materials and Methods: The patients of various skull base tumors were divided into two groups. Group I included 45 patients not embolised prior to surgery and Group II included 37 patients who were embolised prior to surgery. Surgery was performed within 72 hours of the embolisaton. Patients in the two groups were compared for amount of blood loss, time during surgery, extent of tumor removal, complications, hospital stay and mortality. Comfort to surgeon during surgery was assessed by Pant Surgeons Satisfaction Score (PS3). Results: Amount of blood loss in Group I was more than 500 ml in majority as compared to Group II (P < 0.001).Operation room timings were more than 3 hours in Group I (P < 0.001). Similarly extent of surgery was better with lesser complications and mortality in Group II (P < 0.001).The hospital stay was less than 8 days in Group II (P < 0.001). Interestingly the operating surgeons were more comfortable and happy with their surgery if the patients were previously embolised i.e. PS3 of 3 or 4 (P< 0.001). Conclusion: Skull based tumors can be embolized in the preoperative period safely with the endovascular techniques to reduce the complications associated with surgical intervention