Optic nerve and chiasm gliomas in children.

In a 30 years period, 42 children were admitted for optic nerve and chiasm gliomas; 20 patients aged less than 5 years and 22 between 6 and 16 years. Duration of symptoms ranged from 13.15 months in children aged less than 5 years, to 10.18 months in patients aged more than 6. Onset of symptoms were characterized by visual impairment and/or proptosis in 73.8%, diencephalic disorders in 16.6% and intracranial hypertension in 9.5%. All patients underwent skull X-rays; 31 had a PEG taken and 12 a CT scan. Surgery was prompted in 27 patients, 2 of which died in postoperative course. Radiotherapy was the treatment of choice in the other 15 patients, 40 patients were followed up: the best results were obtained in the group of patients operated on and irradiated.