Petro-occipital transsigmoid approach

Tumors of the jugular foramen are rare and often benign. The surgical management of these conditions is often associated with considerable post operative morbidity. Complications include injury to the lower cranial nerves causing dysphagia and dysphonia, facial nerve paresis and loss of hearing. The POTS approach takes the vector of dissection from a lateral trajectory to a posterio-lateral trajectory. In the setting of the more posteriorly placed jugular foramen schwannomas this allows for resection and offers the opportunity for preservation of auditory and facial function.