Tuberculum sellae meningiomas: surgical considerations

We report our experience on the treatment of tuberculum sellae meningiomas (TSMs) regarding the involvement of the optic canal and clinical outcomes. We reviewed 23 patients who were operated on between January 1997 and December 2008. The surgical approach was unilateral subfrontal supraorbital osteotomy in one piece. Attempts were made to improve visual function via extra/intradural unroofing of the optic canal, which released the optic nerve. Visual symptoms were present preoperatively in 21 patients, and two patients were asymptomatic. Visual acuity remained intact in 6 patients, improved in 10, was unchanged in 5 patients, and worsened in 2 patients. The postoperative visual field was normal or improved in 17 patients, unchanged in four patients, and worsened in two patients. The optic canal and clinoid were drilled extradurally in eight patients and intradurally in nine patients. Total resection of TSMs was achieved in 19 patients. Incomplete resection occurred in two patients. Decompression of the optic canal seemed to increase the visual outcome.Apresentamos nossa experiência em 23 pacientes operados com meningiomas do tubérculo da sela, com enfoque na descompressão do nervo óptico e nos sintomas visuais do pós-operatório. Vinte e três pacientes com meningiomas do tubérculo da sela foram operados entre janeiro de 1997 e dezembro de 2008, através do acesso subfrontal via ostetomia supraorbital. Remoção do teto do canal óptico por via extra ou intradural foi realizada em 17 pacientes. Sintomas visuais no pré-operatório ocorreram em 21 pacientes, 2 eram assintomáticos. Melhora visual ocorreu em 10, permaneceu inalterada em 5 e piorou em 2 pacientes. No pós-operatório o campo visual normalizou-se em 17 pacientes, permaneceu inalterado em 4 e diminuiu em 2. Descompressão dos nervos ópticos foi realizada em 17 pacientes. Ressecção total dos meningiomas do tubérculo da sela foi possível em 19 pacientes. Abertura do canal óptico permitiu a manipulação do nervo óptico sem novos déficites

Foramen magnum meningiomas: surgical treatment in a single public institution in a developing country

Objective: To analyze the clinical outcome of patients with foramen magnum (FM) meningiomas. Method: Thirteen patients (11 Feminine / 2 Masculine with FM meningiomas operated on through lateral suboccipital approach were studied. Clinical outcome were analyzed using survival (SC) and recurrence-free survival curves (RFSC). Results: All tumors were World Health Organization grade I. Total, subtotal and partial resections were acchieved in 69.2%, 23.1% and 7.7%, respectively, and SC was better for males and RFSC for females. Tumor location, extent of resection and involvement of vertebral artery/lower cranial nerves did not influence SC and RFSC. Recurrence rate was 7.7%. Operative mortality was 0. Main complications were transient (38.5%) and permanent (7.7%) lower cranial nerve deficits, cerebrospinal fluid fistula (30.8%), and transient and permanent respiratory difficulties in 7.7% each. Conclusions: FM meningiomas can be adequately treated in public hospitals in developing countries if a multidisciplinary team is available for managing postoperative lower cranial nerve deficits

Abordagem cirúrgica posterior e posterolateral para neurinomas cervicais em ampulheta da raiz de C2

OBJETIVO: os autores relatam a experiência cirúrgica de 11 neurinomas em ampulheta de C2 comparando à via de acesso posterior com a posterolateral. MÉTODOS: onze pacientes com neurinomas em ampulheta de raiz cervical de C2 foram tratados cirurgicamente. A via de acesso utilizada para a remoção dos tumores foi a abordagem posterior em sete pacientes, e a posterolateral em quatro pacientes. RESULTADOS: houve predominância do sexo feminino (n=6) e a média de idade foi de 55,9±8,16 anos. O tempo médio de sintoma até o diagnóstico foi de 16,3 meses (±8,02 meses). Houve ressecção completa do tumor em todos os pacientes. O tempo cirúrgico médio na abordagem posterior foi de 180 minutos (±39,15) e de 192 minutos (±22,17) pela via posterolateral (p=0,52). Não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre as abordagens em relação ao sangramento transoperatório (posterior: 70,71±16,93; posterolateral: 65,00±24,15; p=0,64). Ocorreu uma complicação com a via de acesso posterior ligada à presença de uma fístula de líquor, sendo necessária nova intervenção e reconstrução da dura-máter utilizando a fáscia lata. CONCLUSÃO: a retirada completa do tumor em ampulheta da raiz de C2 é possível através das abordagens posterior e posterolateral, entretanto, a abordagem posterior é preferível por ser a via de acesso mais familiar ao cirurgião.OBJETIVO: os autores describen la experiencia quirúrgica de 11 neurinomas en reloj de arena de la raíz de C2 comparando el camino de acceso posterior y el postero-lateral. MÉTODOS: se trataron con cirugía 11 pacientes con neurinoma en reloj de arena de raíz cervical de C2. El camino de acceso utilizado para la retirada de los tumores fue la aproximación posterior en siete pacientes, y la aproximación postero-lateral, en 4. RESULTADOS: hubo predominio del sexo femenino (n=6), siendo la edad promedio de 55,9 ± 8,16 años. El tiempo medio de los síntomas hasta su diagnóstico fue de 16,3 meses (±8,02 meses). Hubo resección completa del tumor en todos los pacientes. El tiempo quirúrgico promedio en el abordaje posterior fue de 180 minutos (± 39.15) y 192 minutos (± 22,17) a través de posterolateral (p = 0,52). No hubo diferencia del volumen de sangrado transoperatorio entre los grupos (posterior: 70,71±16,93; posterolateral: 65,00±24,15; p=0.64). Hubo una complicación por el camino posterior que fue la presencia de fístula licuórica, siendo necesaria reintervención y colocación de fascia lata. CONCLUSIÓN: la eliminación completa del tumor en la raíz de reloj de arena C2 es posible mediante el abordaje posterior y posterolateral, sin embargo, el abordaje posterior se demostró preferible por ser un camino de acceso de mayor familiaridad para el cirujano.OBJECTIVE: in this study, the authors describe the surgical experience of 11 hourglass-shaped neurinomas at the C2 root, comparing the posterior and posterolateral approaches. METHODS: eleven patients with hourglass-shaped neurinoma of the cervical root of C2 were surgically treated. The approach used to remove the tumors was the posterior in seven patients and posterolateral in four patients. RESULTS: females predominated in this sample (n=6) and the mean age was 55.9±8.16 years. The time from onset of the symptoms to diagnosis was 16.3 months (±8,02 months). The mean surgical time was 180 minutes (±39.15) in the posterior approach and 192 minutes (±22.17) in the posterolateral approach (p=0.52). There was no statistically significant difference in the volume of intrasurgical bleeding among the groups (posterior approach: 70.71±16.93; posterolateral approach: 65.00±24.15; p=0.64). The tumor was completely resected in all patients. A complication occurred with the posterior access, which was the presence of a cerebrospinal fluid fistula, and it was necessary to reoperate, being the duramater reconstructed with fascia lata. CONCLUSION: the tumor was completely resected with both surgical approaches, but the posterior approach was preferable because the surgeon is more familiar with it