Our experience with surgical treatment of the schwannomas of peripheral nerves.
BACKGROUND
This work is presenting the results of the operations of 20 patients in whom 20 schwannomas of the peripheral nerves of the limbs and the brachial plexus were removed using a micro-technique within a period of 11 years, from 1990 to 2001.


METHODS
18 schwannomas of the peripheral nerves of the limbs and 2 schwannomas of the brachial plexus were removed in 20 patients. Patients with schwannomas of other than the major nerves were not included in this study. Each of the tumours of the brachial plexus originated in the lower trunk and did not spread intra-spinaly spread. We have evaluated the results according to the Donner's classification of the motoric and sensitive functions.


RESULTS
The motoric functions have improved or remained unchanged in 18 (90%) patients and 5 (83.3%) patients with pain in the distribution area of the affected nerve experienced complete or partial relieve of the symptoms. The results were more significant in smaller and more distally localised tumours.


CONCLUSIONS
The patients should be surgically treated on time, before the tumours reach greater volume and before neurological deficit develops, at a department specialized on the diseases of peripheral nerves. (Tab. 3, Ref. 9.).
Matejcik
V
V
Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. bll@fmed.uniba.sk
D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000601:surgery; D005121:Extremities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000601:surgery*; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D020127:Recovery of Function