title: [Stereotactic brain biopsy].
abstract: During a 3-year period starting in 1991, 49 patients with brain lesions underwent 50 stereotactic brain biopsy procedures. The average age was 46 years (range 4-74). Specimens were taken from various brain regions, particularly from the deep aspect of the cerebral hemispheres and midline structures. The pathologic entities included 27 gliomas (13 glioblastomas, 6 astrocytomas, 3 anaplastic astrocytomas, 1 pilocytic astrocytoma and 4 oligodendrogliomas), 5 lymphomas, 2 germinomas, 1 primitive neuroectodermal tumor, 2 metastatic tumors and 11 non-neoplastic lesions (4 demyelination, 2 infarcts, 1 hematoma, 1 brain abscess, 1 radiation necrosis, 1 Alzheimer's disease and in 1 case no diagnosis). The diagnostic success of the stereotactic brain biopsies in this series was 96% (in 98% of the patients). The mean hospital stay was 3 days. 1 patient with a multifocal bilateral glioblastoma died due to early postoperative hematoma of the basal ganglia (2%). Another 2 patients underwent craniotomy due to post-biopsy hematoma. They continued to suffer from hemiparesis after discharge. Transient Horner's syndrome was noted in 1 patient. Thus the permanent morbidity rate was 4%. We conclude that stereotactic brain biopsy can be performed relatively safely, has a high diagnostic yield, and facilitates planning of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Neurosurgery, Hadassah-University Hospital, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoshan
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Pomeranz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sofer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ashkenazi
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Israel
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Umansky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects