Skull base
What we do
We are the largest Skull Base Unit in London and treat patients referred from around the UK and worldwide.
We provide the service jointly with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
The unit manages and treats diseases and conditions in or close to the side of (lateral) and in front of (anterior) the base of the skull.
These include:
- benign and malign tumours such as vestibular schwannomas (acoustic neuromas), meningiomas, epidermoids and paragangliomas
- chronic infections
- cerebrospinal (CSF) fluid leaks.
King’s holds multidisciplinary clinics and carries out all intradural surgery.
King’s and Guy’s both carry out extradural surgery.
We are part of the neurosurgery department.
Health information
Inter-hospital transfers
Many patients with neurological problems can be managed at their local hospital. However, some patients may require specialised investigation and treatment at a regional neuroscience centre, such as King’s.
Each patient will be looked after by a team of health professionals during their stay at King’s, and will receive carefully planned investigations and treatments.
Transferring back to your local hospital
Patients may be transferred back to their local hospital from King’s for continued care, treatment, and/or rehabilitation as well as discharge planning with local services in the community. Transfers back to local hospitals are also known as repatriation. The aim is to get patients home as soon as possible, but it may take several days for a bed to become available.
At the local hospital, you may continue to receive care and medical treatment. The team there will carefully assess your care needs so that you can go home safely.
For more information see ‘Patient information leaflets’ section of this page.
Location
First floor, Willowfield Building, King’s College Hospital, Bessemer Road, SE5 9BG
Contact Details
- Main Reception: +44 (0)20 3299 4285
- Skull Base Co-ordinator: +44 (0)20 3299 4285
- Skull Base Co-ordinator: +44 (0)20 3299 1361
Patient information leaflets
| Title | File Size | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Inter-hospital transfer process (neuroscience) | 180 KB |
Conditions we treat
We manage neoplastic, infective and traumatic conditions of and adjacent to either side of the skull base.
These include:
- vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma)
- skull base meningiomas
- cervical and skull base paragangliomas
- other cranial nerve schwannomas including parapharyngeal
- epidermoids/cholesteatoma
- chondrosarcoma
- olfactory neuroblastoma and other sinonasal malignancy
- juvenile nasal angiofibroma
- clival chordoma
- petrous apex pathology
- encephalocele and CSF leaks.
Patients needing the pituitary service should be referred to Endocrinology.
Booking a patient at King’s
Routine Referrals
All routine referrals from a GP or local community must be submitted through the electronic referral system (eRS). Each referral form should be fully completed and include an MRI scan of the patient before being sent exclusively via the eRS.
Complete the referral form below and email it to [email protected]. The results of all investigations, such as CTs, MRIs and other relevant tests, must be sent/image-linked to King’s Neuroradiology Department.
Routine referrals are reviewed in the Skull Base MDT meetings held on the first and fourth Monday of the month.
Emergency Referrals
From hospitals
Go to the acute neurosurgery referrals page for advice on how to refer using the inter-hospital system.
From GPs
Patients should be referred to their local emergency department for urgent assessment.
Other Queries
For MDT administrative enquiries please contact:
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 3299 4285 or 020 3299 1361
For all nursing or clinical enquiries please email: [email protected].
Referral forms
| Title | File Size | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Skull Base Surgery referral form – King’s College Hospital | 81 KB |
Key Clinical Staff
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Prof Safa Al-Sarraj | Consultant Neuropathologist |
| Mr Sinan Barazi | Consultant Neurosurgeon |
| Dr Steve Connor | Consultant Neuroradiologist |
| Mr Richard Gullan | Consultant Neurosurgeon |
| Mrs Amanda Hitchings | Skull Base Clinical Nurse Specialist |
| Ms Eleni Maratos | Consultant Neurosurgeon |
| Mr Rupert Obholzer | Consultant ENT |
| Mr Nick Thomas | Consultant Neurosurgeon |
| Dr Jean-Marie U-King-Im | Consultant Neuroradiologist |