Permanent postoperative anosmia: a serious complication of neurovascular decompression in the sitting position

In posterior fossa surgery, the sitting position offers a number of advantages believed to outweigh complications such as air embolism and pneumatocephalus. For this reason, the sitting position is frequently used in neurovascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia. Two years ago we reported on...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta neurochirurgica 2000-01, Vol.142 (11), p.1259-1261
Main Authors: Ramsbacher, J, Vesper, J, Brock, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Decompression, Surgical - adverse effects
Health Surveys
Humans
Incidence
Infratentorial Neoplasms - surgery
Morbidity
Neurosurgical Procedures - adverse effects
Nursing
Olfaction Disorders - epidemiology
Olfaction Disorders - etiology
Postoperative Complications - epidemiology
Posture
Quality of Life
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Summary:In posterior fossa surgery, the sitting position offers a number of advantages believed to outweigh complications such as air embolism and pneumatocephalus. For this reason, the sitting position is frequently used in neurovascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia. Two years ago we reported on a previously undescribed complication: permanent postoperative anosmia. Following the recent occurrence of a second case, we conducted a nationwide survey to determine the frequency of this complication. Permanent postoperative anosmia following surgical procedures in the sitting position has been observed in 3 other institutions. In addition, the survey revealed that only 40% of German neurosurgeons still favor the sitting position for surgery of the posterior cranial fossa. Considering that permanent anosmia severely reduces quality of life, and that it can be avoided by using another position, the sitting position for surgical procedures in the posterior fossa should be restricted to special cases (e.g., brain stem tumors).
ISSN:0001-6268
0942-0940
DOI:10.1007/s007010070023