Microscope-Based Augmented Reality with Intraoperative Computed Tomography-Based Navigation for Resection of Skull Base Meningiomas in Consecutive Series of 39 Patients

Background: The aim of surgery for skull base meningiomas is maximal resection with minimal damage to the involved cranial nerves and cerebral vessels; thus, implementation of technologies for improved orientation in the surgical field, such as neuronavigation and augmented reality (AR), is of interest.

Methods: Included in the study were 39 consecutive patients (13 male, 26 female, mean age 64.08 ± 13.5 years) who underwent surgery for skull base meningiomas using microscope-based AR and automatic patient registration using intraoperative computed tomography (iCT).

Results: Most common were olfactory meningiomas (6), cavernous sinus (6) and clinoidal (6) meningiomas, meningiomas of the medial (5) and lateral (5) sphenoid wing and meningiomas of the sphenoidal plane (5), followed by suprasellar (4), falcine (1) and middle fossa (1) meningiomas. There were 26 patients (66.6%) who underwent gross total resection (GTR) of the meningioma. Automatic registration applying iCT resulted in high accuracy (target registration error, 0.82 ± 0.37 mm). The effective radiation dose of the registration iCT scans was 0.58 ± 1.05 mSv. AR facilitated orientation in the resection of skull base meningiomas with encasement of cerebral vessels and compression of the optic chiasm, as well as in reoperations, increasing surgeon comfort. No injuries to critical neurovascular structures occurred. Out of 35 patients who lived to follow-up, 33 could ambulate at their last presentation.

Conclusion: A microscope-based AR facilitates surgical orientation for resection of skull base meningiomas. Registration accuracy is very high using automatic registration with intraoperative imaging.