&NA;An extremely rare case of a basioccipital meningocele causing obstruction of the upper airway in a neonate is described. A transoral approach was used to remove the meningocele and repair the dural fistula. Bilateral posterior lateral pharyngeal releasing incisions were made to allow mucosal and muscle coverage over the dural repair. This report demonstrates and emphasizes the use of lateral pharyngeal releasing incisions to cover midline full thickness defects in the posterior oropharyngeal wall that might be encountered during transoral transclival operations. (Neurosurgery25:469‐471, 1989)