“Tailored” approach to selected recurrent cranio-cervical chordomas: Experience and lessons learned

Background: Among chordoma patients, recurrent cases are by far more complex to be managed, and cranio-cervical junction (CCJ) localizations represent a particular challenge due to the complexity of the anatomical region which makes it difficult to obtain a radical resection. Methodology: We report our personal experience in treating four patients with recurrent CCJ chordoma with “personalized” multiportal and eventually multistage approaches. Conclusions: Endoscopic endonasal approaches have gained widespread acceptance and are considered the workhorse in most cases of craniocervical junction chordomas. Nonetheless, in some cases of recurrence, or in presence of very lateralized lesions/anatomical variations midline approaches are either contraindicated or very difficult to perform. In all these cases it seems reasonable to consider a versatile strategy including different approaches, modulating the surgical needs with different answers and solutions offered by the different routes. In other words to personalize as much as possible the approach, being creative and not dogmatic.