The learning curve for endonasal surgery of the cranial base: a systematic approach to training

Abstract

Proper training in endoscopic endonasal surgery of the cranial base is essential to avoid unnecessary morbidity and mortality. An incremental program for the training of skull base surgeons is described that accounts for complex skull base anatomy, technical difficulty, potential risk of neural and vascular injury, extent of intradural dissection, and type of pathology. There are multiple pathways for training in endoscopic skull base surgery. The most important feature of a training program is the building of team surgical skills.