Treating Skull Base Tumors

At Vanderbilt Health

Experience Matters

Skull base tumors are complex, and no two patients have the same needs. The Vanderbilt Skull Base Center is among a select few skull base centers in the U.S. with:

  • A long history of treating skull base tumors

    For more than 40 years, Vanderbilt physicians have trained the nation's top skull base doctors and performed thousands of skull base surgeries.

  • A dedicated patient care coordinator

    Our care coordinator is your personal contact through treatment and recovery.

  • A specialty ICU

    Our dedicated neurosurgical intensive care unit offers 24/7 specialty care inside one of the nations best hospitals.

  • A multi-specialty surgical team

    Our skull base surgeries are performed by a multi-specialty team including a skull base neurosurgeon, neurotologist, neuroanesthesia specialist, and head and neck surgeon.

  • Advanced treatments

    Our physicians excel at and in some cases, create the latest treatments for skull base tumors.

  • A center of excellence

    We are an Acoustic Neuroma Association Center of Excellence under the Acoustic Neuroma Association.

Advanced Skull Base Tumor Care

Finding expert treatment for a skull base tumor can help preserve your speech, hearing, smell and eyesight. The Vanderbilt Skull Base Center offers world-class treatment for:

  • acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas)
  • chordomas
  • craniopharyngiomas
  • glomus tumors (glomus jugulare, glomus tympanicum, paragangliomas)
  • meningiomas
  • pituitary tumors (pituitary adenoma, pituitary carcinoma)
  • other common and rare skull base tumor types

We also treat non-tumor conditions occurring in or around the skull base, including intracranial cerebrospinal fluid leaks (CSF). Which are distinct from spinal CSF leaks and occur at the skull base through the nose or ear, and trigeminal neuralgia.


Personalized Care From Our Skull Base Team

With our team-based approach, your treatment will begin with a careful review of your condition by our board of specialists. Your treatment plan may involve:

  • surgery
  • radiation therapy
  • combined therapy

As you go through the steps of treatment and recovery, our dedicated patient care coordinator will be your helping hand. The Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center offers renowned therapy programs for patients who need help with speech, swallowing or hearing.


Discovering New Treatments for Skull Base Tumors

The Vanderbilt Skull Base Center is a national leader in skull base education and research, including:

  • Minimally invasive endoscopic and robotic surgery
  • Facial nerve preservation during tumor removal
  • Advanced imaging and radiation
  • Intraoperative monitoring
  • Computerized image-guided surgery