Equipment and Surgical Techniques

The Lariboisière neurosurgery team has all modern operating room equipment (endoscope, microscope, neuronavigation, cranial nerve monitoring, intraoperative CT scan, electrophysiology, robot) and masters all surgical techniques for the optimal management of these complex tumors. Its expertise is internationally recognized, as evidenced by recent publications ^1–6.

Our team participated in the drafting of the National Consensus for the Management of Craniopharyngiomas, with the chapter dedicated to surgical treatment ².

Therapeutic Strategy

In 2025, we published an article in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reporting our strategy for the management of adult craniopharyngiomas ⁷, based on the tumor's relationship with the hypothalamus.

For certain types of craniopharyngiomas (papillary subtype), medical treatment with targeted therapy may be offered, followed by radiotherapy. The initial results published as part of a national collaborative effort in which we participated are promising ⁸.

Pediatric Collaboration

The adult neurosurgery department at Lariboisière collaborates closely with the pediatric neurosurgery department at Necker (Prof. Blauwblomme, Prof. Beccaria) for the surgical management of pediatric craniopharyngiomas and to ensure a smooth transition from childhood to adulthood. Thanks to their expertise in endoscopic endonasal surgery, Prof. Froelich and Dr. Baussart operate on some of these tumors directly at the Necker site.

In June 2025, a monthly AYA (Adolescent Young Adult) multidisciplinary consultation meeting was established with the Gustave Roussy Institute (Dr. Dufour, Dr. Grill), in which the department participates for its expertise in the sellar and suprasellar region.

Multidisciplinary Consultation Meetings

The hospital's expertise is recognized throughout the national territory, as evidenced by the 12 adult and/or pediatric multidisciplinary consultation meetings in which we participate, generally monthly:

• 8 Île-de-France Endocrinology Multidisciplinary Consultation Meetings — in expert endocrinology centers (Dr. Baussart): Cochin, Kremlin-Bicêtre, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Saint-Antoine, Ambroise-Paré, Lariboisière, Saint-Joseph
• 2 Skull Base Multidisciplinary Consultation Meetings — local and national (Prof. Froelich)
• 1 Regional Radiotherapy Multidisciplinary Consultation Meeting — Prof. Assié, Dr. Baussart, Dr. Calugaru, Dr. Jacob
• 1 National HYPOCARE Multidisciplinary Consultation Meeting — led by Prof. Raverot, referring surgeons: Prof. Jouanneau and Dr. Baussart
• 1 National CRANIOCARE Multidisciplinary Consultation Meeting — led by Prof. Jouanneau and Dr. Baussart

Reference Publications

1. 1. Baussart B, Declerck A, Gaillard S. Mononostril endoscopic endonasal approach for pituitary surgery. Acta Neurochir. 2021;163(3):655-659.
2. 2. Cuny T, Buchfelder M, Dufour H, et al. The Challenging Management of Craniopharyngiomas in Adults: Time for a Reappraisal? Cancers (Basel). 2022;14(15):3831.
3. 3. Laurent C, Gaillard S, Baussart B. Expanded endoscopic endonasal approach for the resection of midline craniopharyngiomas with hypothalamic involvement. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2022;164(12):3291-3296.
4. 4. Labidi M, Watanabe K, Hanakita S, et al. The Chopsticks Technique for Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery — Improving Surgical Efficiency and Reducing the Surgical Footprint. World Neurosurg. 2018;117:208-220.
5. 5. Wang EW, Zanation AM, Gardner PA, et al. ICAR: endoscopic skull-base surgery. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2019;9(S3):S145-S365.
6. 6. Labidi M, Watanabe K, Loit MP, Hanakita S, Froelich S. The Posterior Transpetrosal Approach in a Case of Large Retrochiasmatic Craniopharyngioma. J Neurol Surg B Skull Base. 2018;79(2):S205-S207.
7. 7. Gaillard S, Benichi S, Villa C, et al. Prognostic Impact of Hypothalamic Perforation in Adult Patients With Craniopharyngioma: A Cohort Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2024;109(8):2083-2096.
8. 8. De Alcubierre D, Gkasdaris G, Mordre M, et al. B-RAF and MEK inhibitor targeted therapy in papillary craniopharyngiomas: A cohort study. European Journal of Endocrinology. doi:10.1093/ejendo/lvae091.