Anatomical study of transsphnoidal approach in neuronavigator-guided surgery

Objective To offer anatomical data on transsphenoidal approach in surgery by neuronavigator-guided endoscope.Methods The distance between the related structures was measured under neuronavigator-guided endoscopy in 15 formalin-fixed adult cadaveric heads and 5 fresh cadaveric heads.Results Mean error of neuronavigation in 20 patients was 2.5 mm;the distance from anterior nasal spine to ostium of sphenoid sinus was 57.1±5.1 mm;the distance from anterior nasal spine to the floor of the sella turcica was 72.3±6.7 mm;the(distance) from anterior nasal spine to(carotid) processus was 67.7±6.2 mm;the distance from anterior nasal spine to optic canal processus was(68.9±6.5 mm).Compared with the anatomy,there was no significant difference((P0.05)).Conclusion Neuronavigation correlates the images to real anatomic structures in real time with(precise) location.