Factors affecting morbidity and mortality following surgical intervention in patients with intracranial meningioma.
BACKGROUND
Meningiomas usually grow slowly but they may cause recurrences despite surgical resection. The impact of clinical, neuroradiological and surgical characteristics on operative morbidity and mortality of patients operated on for intracranial meningioma was analysed.


METHODS
A series of 450 patients operated on for intracranial meningiomas at the Department of Neurosurgery, Hacettepe University Hospital during the period 1964-1992 is reported. The surgical results were analysed with regard to intracranial site, extent of removal, histological type, and different time periods. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facilitated the diagnosis and helped with the planning of treatment.


RESULTS
Two hundred and ninety-two patients were examined with both CT and MRI. Overall mortality was 4% but showed a decline from 9% in the pre-CT era to 3% in the post-CT era and to 1% in the past 3 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Operative mortality and recurrence rates are affected by the intracranial location of the tumour, histological type, and extent of tumour removal. Emphasis is also given to the importance of the introduction of the imaging techniques, and the microsurgical techniques with the Cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA), laser, and/or bipolar coagulator which have further improved the operative mortality and recurrence rates.
Turgut
M
M
Neurosurgical Unit, Hacettepe University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Ozcan
O E
OE
Benli
K
K
Ozgen
T
T
Gürcay
O
O
Bertan
V
V
Erbengi
A
A
Sağlam
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy