Skullpture: An Educational Surgical and Anatomy 3D Online Model for Transcranial Approaches

Introduction: The anatomical complexity of certain intracranial regions, combined with the wide range of surgical approaches available, poses substantial challenges in residency training. A considerable number of residents complete their programs without the comprehensive practical exposure necessary to confidently perform skull base approaches regarded as advanced and technically demanding. Consequently, the development of innovative educational strategies that integrate theoretical rigor with immersive and realistic practical experiences is imperative to ensure the continued training of competent skull base surgeons. Within this context, interactive technologies such as three-dimensional simulators and educational applications represent a promising adjunct to enhance surgical education. Objective: To develop a three-dimensional model of transcranial skull base approaches designed to facilitate the learning of surgical anatomy and to optimize integrated theoretical-practical training. Methods: Cadaveric specimens were dissected in an anatomy laboratory (ALT-VISION) for the performance of skull base craniotomies. The approaches included orbitozygomatic, pterional, minipterional, subtemporal, retrosigmoid, far lateral, suboccipital supratentorial, FISH, middle fossa, Kawase, middle fossa opening of the internal acoustic canal, translabyrinthine, supraorbital, interhemispheric transcallosal (Figs. 1 and 2). Each stage of every approach was video recorded and subsequently reconstructed into three-dimensional models using Blender software. The models were then refined in Sketchfab, where image resolution was enhanced and anatomical structures were labeled. A dedicated Web site ( https://skullpture.mycarejs.com ) was created to host and organize the models according to surgical approach and to create features such as, visualized or hidden labels (Figs. 3 and 4). The models can be presented in real time or recorded in a video to be demonstrated during a presentation. Conclusion: The educational platform developed by the authors provides neurosurgery and otolaryngology residents with interactive access to realistic surgical models that illustrate the stepwise execution of skull base craniotomies, thereby facilitating the identification of relevant anatomical structures within each approach. Furthermore, this three-dimensional resource expands access to surgical training by enabling residents in institutions without microsurgical dissection laboratories to acquire familiarity with complex approaches and to achieve better preparedness for operative participation. Publication History Article published online: 27 February 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany