Bioabsorbable plate cranial base reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION During endoscopic anterior skull base surgery, reconstruction options for defects of the sella turcica or anterior cranial base require careful consideration of defect size, shape, location, and need for adjuvant therapy. A variety of techniques are available, ranging from single layer reconstruction to multilayer reconstruction with microvascular tissue transfer. Each method has particular advantages and disadvantages with regard to effectiveness, morbidity, vascularity, and strength. Addition of a rigid component to the reconstruction may be considered, particularly if there is concern regarding the integrity of the repair. Rigid materials include local tissue, such as septal or sphenoid bone; distant tissue, such as contoured mastoid cortical bone; or artificial materials. We review our experience using a recently developed semirigid bioabsorbable implant for repair of a variety of skull base defects.