Skull base surgeries performed in areas involving the visual pathway are associated with varying levels of postoperative visual dysfunction. For instance, surgical resection of suprasellar meningiomas has been shown to worsen visual function in 14 - 28% of patients and surgical resection of craniopharyngiomas worsen visual function in 3 - 11.5% of patients. Manipulation of the optic nerve and interference with the microvasculature during surgical dissection is thought to be responsible for the visual loss.~Through intraoperative monitoring and prompt identification of flash visual evoked potentials (FVEPs) deterioration, corrective surgical measures could be undertaken to improve or stabilize postoperative visual dysfunction. Furthermore, intraoperative FVEPs monitoring may influence surgical decision-making thus contributing to predict and prevent postoperative visual dysfunction as well as allowing more total resection of a tumour when the monitoring is stable.~This study's aim is to determine if intraoperative continuous FVEPs monitoring can predict and prevent or minimize possible visual pathway injury that may appear during minimally invasive endoscopic skull base surgery.
Skull base surgeries performed in areas involving the visual pathway are associated with varying levels of postoperative visual dysfunction. The goal of intraoperative FVEP monitoring is to detect and prevent intraoperative visual pathway injury.