Tentorial meningiomas: clinical results in 81 patients treated microsurgically.

OBJECTIVE

Even during the microsurgical era, tentorial meningiomas present a formidable surgical challenge when tumor involves critical neurovascular structures. We report our experience with tentorial meningioma with regard to clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, microsurgical technique, complications, and follow-up results.

METHODS

In a retrospective study, we reviewed the medical charts, neuroimaging data, and follow-up data of patients treated microsurgically for tentorial meningioma in our department between January 1989 and June 2002. Patients were routinely scheduled for clinical and radiological follow-up 6 months and 1 year after surgery. Thereafter, follow-up was performed every 1 or 2 years on the basis of the results of each follow-up examination.

RESULTS

The main presenting symptoms of the patients (69 women and 12 men) were headache (75%), dizziness (49%), and gait disturbance (46%). The leading neurological signs were gait ataxia (52%) and cranial nerve deficits (28%). Extent of tumor resection was Simpson Grade I in 29 patients, Grade II in 45 patients, Grade III in 1 patient, Grade IV in 4 patients, and unknown in 2 patients. Permanent surgical morbidity and mortality were 19.8 and 2.5%, respectively. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging follow-up was available in 74 patients for a period ranging from 1 to 13 years (mean, 5.9 yr). Of these, 64 patients (86%) have resumed normal life activity. Seven patients had tumor recurrence and four underwent reoperation.

CONCLUSION

Careful preoperative planning of the surgical approach tailored to tumor location and extent is a prerequisite to achieve radical microsurgical tumor resection with minimal morbidity and mortality. Resection of an infiltrated but patent venous sinus is not recommended.