Efficient harvest of the occipital artery in the retrosigmoid approach: Technical note. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Xiaochun; Tayebi Meybodi, Ali; Borba Moreira, Leandro; Belykh, Evgenii; Labib, Mohamed A.; Nakaji, Peter; Preul, Mark C.
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical neuroscience. Volume 67(2019)
• Page Start: 231
• Page End: 233
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: OA occipital artery -- AICA anterior inferior cerebellar artery; Bypass -- Occipital artery harvest -- Retrosigmoid craniotomy; Brain -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Brain -- surgery -- Periodicals; Neurosurgical Procedures -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2019.05.054
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0967-5868

Abstract

Highlights: We present an efficient method for harvesting the OA via small incisions. The harvested OA can be used as a donor artery for bypasses. This technique uses fixed landmarks on the outer surface of the occipital bone. Abstract: The occipital artery (OA) can be used as a donor artery in many types of bypasses; however, harvesting this artery in the depths of its course is challenging. In order to safely harvest the OA, a large hockey-stick-shaped incision is often used, even when only a retrosigmoid approach is needed for the intracranial procedure. In this article, we describe a detailed technique whereby the OA is harvested via a suboccipital subperiosteal-transperiosteal dissection technique. In this technique, the occipital groove is identified via a small linear incision. With the technique described, the OA can be localized and harvested effectively for bypass in the subsequent retrosigmoid approach.