title: Hypothalamic glioma.
abstract: Seven patients from a series of 400 parasellar lesions presenting with visual failure treated in the Gough-Cooper Department of Neurological Surgery, The National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Queen Square, were found to have low-grade gliomas of the hypothalamus. All were retrochiasmatic in site. The median age was 18 years. All showed low-grade astrocytoma, grade 2 and, in 6 of the 7 cases, presentation was with a variety of visual problems including homonymous hemianopia, bitemporal hemianopia, and unilateral scotomata. The other case presented with papilledema. Skull x-rays were, by and large, normal. Computed tomography scanning showed low- or mixed-density midline lesions and angiography showed mass effect and occasionally a capsular blush. All were operated on directly through a variety of approaches, and in each case, a radical subtotal removal was carried out. Postoperatively there were no major complications and no major worsening of symptoms in any patient. Radiotherapy was applied in 6 of the 7 cases. Follow-up periods range from 6 months to 6 years and 5 of the 7 patients remain well. The other 2, who are surviving, have advancing neurological disturbance.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005910:Glioma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007029:Hypothalamic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D014794:Visual Fields