Neurosurgical treatment of meningiomas in children and young adults.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the frequency, functional outcome, association with neurofibromatosis (NF) and relapse in patients operated on for meningiomas at age 0-20 years in three Norwegian centers between 1972 and 1999.


METHODS
Information was collected by examining case notes and histology records, conducting telephone interviews and performing new radiological investigations. Twenty-seven patients were identified. Five had NF, and all 5 developed multiple tumors. In non-NF patients, relapse occurred in 2 out of 19 who underwent total tumor resection, and in all 3 whose surgery was non-radical. There was 1 postsurgical death, and no other major complications. Most patients had few complaints or none at all resulting from their previous tumor or treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Meningiomas without NF have a good prognosis in children and young adults if the tumor can be removed radically. However, relapse can occur many years after the primary operation.
Lund-Johansen
M
M
Department of Neurosurgery, Bergen University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway. Mljo@haukeland.no
Scheie
D
D
Muller
T
T
Lundar
T
T
Helseth
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D017253:Neurofibromatoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed