Practical guidelines for setting up an endoscopic/skull base cadaver laboratory

Adequate training based on cadaveric dissection is essential to acquire a practical knowledge of surgical anatomy and microsurgical/endoscopic dissection techniques. Endoscopic procedures for the treatment of pathologies of the skull base are becoming increasingly common. The endoscopic training curve for tool handling and a detailed knowledge of the topographic anatomy of the skull base require intensive training on cadavers before approaching living patients, which is why cadaver laboratory experience should be mandatory for every resident and surgeon preparing to use microsurgical and endoscopic techniques. We describe the basic principles of the philosophy of anatomic dissection and the equipment necessary to set up an endoscopic cadaver laboratory.