RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the surgical method of transcranial middle cranial fossa-lateral skull base malignant tumor. METHODS: Sixteen patients with transcranial middle cranial fossa-lateral skull base malignant tumors were treated by three surgical methods. (1) Postauricular "C" form incision, combined with subtotal resection of temporal bone and high lateral neck approach to resect tumors located in middle cranial fossa, lateral skull base, and parotid region. (2) Temporal side "tungue" form incision, middle cranial fossa approach to resect tumors inside and outside the skull. (3) Temporal-auricular-mandible swing approach to resect tumors in parapharyngeal-infratemporal fossa-middle cranial fossa. Thirteen of the 16 cases received radiotherapy postoperatively. RESULTS: After operation, 11 of the 16 cases survived more than three years, five cases died within three years. Three-year-survival rate was 69%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the three surgical methods adopted could fully expose the internal and external skull lesion to remove the extensive malignant tumors. For late stage malignant tumors of the skull base, it should be treated aggressively by combination of surgical therapy and postoperative radiotherapy.