Trans-Striatocapsular Contralateral Interhemispheric Resection of Anterior Inferior Basal Ganglia Cavernous Malformation

Objective: To describe a technique to approach the anterior inferior basal ganglia. Case Description: A 29-year-old man presented with several episodes of facial droop and a cavernous malformation anterior, inferior, and lateral to the head of the caudate nucleus. Several possible surgical approaches were considered, including a transsylvian approach and a contralateral interhemispheric approach. Ultimately, the patient underwent a contralateral interhemispheric trans-striatocapsular approach to the lesion and was discharged without neurologic deficit within 72 hours. Conclusion: The approach described here is a novel alternative to transsylvian or supracarotid approaches to the anterior inferior basal ganglia and in this patient provided a well-tolerated surgical corridor that allowed complete resection of his cavernoma. We discuss several advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches to the anterior inferior basal ganglia. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved