Skull base surgery

Skull base surgery requires an experienced, multidisciplinary team who work together to treat a delicate and complex area of the body. Our skull base team is dedicated to giving you the best care and brings together experienced neurosurgeons, otolaryngologist / head and neck surgeons, neuroradiologists, pathologists, ophthalmologists, dentists, speech pathologists, and radiation and medical oncologists from VCU Massey Comprehensive Center.

When you come to us, you can expect a personalized treatment plan, advanced surgical and nonsurgical options — including the most up-to-date minimally invasive techniques — and compassionate care before and after surgery.

Make an appointment

To schedule an evaluation with an otolaryngologist, call 804-628-4368. For a neurosurgical consult, call 804-828-9165.

What is the skull base?

The “skull base” is the junction between the brain and the face and includes the eye socket, inner and middle ear, sinus cavities and upper neck. Treating skull base conditions is complicated because of the many nerves, blood vessels, and other critical structures that make up this small but complex part of the body.

Why choose VCU Health for your skull base surgery?

We’re big. VCU Health has an extensive team of highly-trained surgeons and providers who treat patients with skull base disorders.

We’re experienced. We have decades of combined experience caring for thousands of patients.

We’re cutting-edge. Our surgeons offer the latest in minimally invasive skull base surgery and reconstructive techniques, as well as access to clinical trials and other non-surgical options.

We’re collaborative. Our experts enjoy working together to find solutions for complex skull base problems.

It’s about you. We know that choosing a treatment pathway for skull base disease can be anxiety provoking. We will explain your treatment options and help you choose an individualized plan.
We are leaders in skull base research, with regular scientific publications and active projects aimed at improving the future of skull base care, while also training the next generation of specialists.

Conditions we treat

We treat a wide spectrum of skull base conditions, including:

Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma)
Acromegaly
Benign and malignant skull base tumors
Cavernous hemangioma
Cerebral and spinal arteriovenous malformations
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak
Chiari malformation
Clival chordoma and chondrosarcoma
Craniopharyngioma
Cushing’s Disease
Encephalocele
Epidermoid tumor
Esthesioneuroblastoma (olfactory neuroblastoma)
Facial nerve schwannoma (Neuroma)
Glomus tumor
Grave’s Disease
Inverted papilloma
Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma
Meningioma
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Neurofibromatosis
Optic nerve compression
Orbital tumors
Pathology of the craniovertebral junction (basilar invagination)
Pituitary tumors and pituicytoma
Pulsatile tinnitus
Rare tumors of the anterior and lateral skull base
Rathke’s Cleft Cyst
Sinonasal malignancies and tumors
Skull base trauma
Superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome
Temporal bone cancer
Ventricular tumors

Advanced techniques in skull base surgery

Our team is experienced in the complete range of skull base surgery techniques, ranging from traditional open approach to minimally invasive procedures that can help you recover faster and go home with little or no scarring. We are experts in:

Extended, minimally invasive endoscopic surgery of the entire skull base
Traditional open surgical approaches for the face, brain, ear and neck
Skull base reconstruction
Management of complex skull base trauma
Neurovascular procedures

We can also recommend non-surgical options, such as:

Radiation therapy
Medical oncology (chemotherapy and immunotherapy)
Rehabilitation services including physical therapy, speech pathology, audiology

As a multidisciplinary program, we appreciate the value of a team-based approach. The skull base team meets regularly as a group to discuss our patients and provide patient-focused, individualized treatment strategies.