The suboccipital craniotomy is the most commonly used approach for midline access to the posterior fossa. It is the “workhorse” of the posterior fossa in skull base surgery. This approach is used for the surgical treatment of multiple pathologies, including tumors, hemorrhages, resection of AVMs, Chiari decompression, and brainstem pathologies (tumors, cavernomas).
It is vital to understand surgical anatomy and the anatomical relationships of the bone (occipital bone and C1 arch), muscles, vascular structures (vertebral arteries and PICAs), and nervous structures (spinal cord, brainstem, tonsils, cranial nerves, and upper cervical nerve roots) for a successful surgery with minimal complications.
Participants will have the opportunity to practice this approach, including the exact site for the incision, proper placement of the trepanations, removal of the craniotomy, preservation of the transverse and sigmoid sinuses, proper opening of the dura mater, dissection of the arachnoid, and correct localization of the previously mentioned neurovascular structures.

THIS WORKSHOP PROVIDES 14 POINTS TOWARD RECERTIFICATION