VASCULARIZED BONE FLAP FOR ANTERIOR SKULL BASE RECONSTRUCTION

A case is reported where a vascularized outer-table of the frontal bone was successfully used to reconstruct a large defect in the anterior skull base following excision of a massive olfactory groove meningioma extending into the ethmoid sinuses. The flap provided a firm barrier between the cranial cavity and paranasal air sinuses, as the dural and bony integrity of the base was compromised after the radical resection of the tumour. It appears that such a flap can be effectively used for skull base reconstruction.