Table 1. Demographic, tumour, operative and outcome details of patients in the case series.

SOTT - suboccipital transtentorial, GOS - Glasgow Outcome Scale

Case	Age + sex	Presenting symptoms	Location	Max. diameter	Operative positioning	Surgical procedures	Excision	Outcome	Histology	GOS at 3 months
1	53F	Panhypopituitarism and hyperprolactinaemia 1. Acute visual decline requiring transsphenoidal approach 2. Subsequent cognitive decline, left-sided proptosis, drowsiness, impaired mobility, acute hemiparesis, acute onset of III, VI and VII cranial nerves palsies, Requiring second-stage surgery from a posterior approach.	Very extensive extra-prolactinoma arising from pituitary fossa, invading the left orbit, suprasellar region, anterior incisural space and posterior-incisural space	70mm	1. Supine 2. Prone	1. Urgent transsphenoidal approach 2. SOTT	1. Subtotal 2. Subtotal	Cabergoline started after first operation (Prolactin level 750000 mIU/l to normal) Improvement of visual acuity and hemiparesis	Prolactinoma with apoplexy	4
2	69M	Headache, dizziness, ataxia, right cerebellar syndrome	Right superior cerebellar cortex	28mm	1. Lateral 2. Lateral	1. Posterior fossa craniotomy 2. SOTT	1. Subtotal 2. Total	Mild ataxia persisting	Haemangioblastoma	5
3	63M	Ataxia, right cerebellar syndrome, hydrocephalus	Superior cerebellar vermis. extra-axial	30mm	Prone	SOTT	Subtotal	Mild ataxia, died 6 months later of multiple myeloma.	Meningioma WHO II	4
4	43F	Obstructive hydrocephalus, ataxia, cerebellar syndrome (Figure 2)	Right infratentorial extra-axial	45mm	Prone	1 Aug 2006: VP shunt 2 Feb 07: SOTT	Total	Right IV paresis, improvement of ataxia	Meningioma WHO I	5
5	35F	Refractory left trigeminal neuralgia, tingling sensation of the left-sided of the tongue (Figure 3)	Left petrous apex extra-axial	20mm	Lateral	SOTT	Total	Uncomplicated progress	Meningioma WHO II (Chordoid)	5
6	43F	Headache, ataxia, left facial palsy, impaired L corneal reflex	Superior cerebellar vermis	35mm	Prone	SOTT	Total	Uncomplicated progress	Metastatic breast carcinoma	4
7	54M	Headache, ataxia (Figure 4)	Left superior cerebellar cortex	28mm	Lateral	SOTT	Total	Uncomplicated progress	Haemangioblastoma	5
8	47F	Progressive right trigeminal sensory loss	Right lateral inferior tentorium	25mm	Prone	SOTT	Total	Transient trochlear paresis	Meningioma WHO I	5