[Surgical management of brain-stem gliomas: a retrospective analysis of 311 cases].
OBJECTIVE
To further study the clinical features, diagnosis, and surgery outcome of brain-stem gliomas.


METHODS
Totally 311 patients with brain-stem gliomas received surgery operations in our hospital from 1980 to the end of 2001. The clinical data, neuroimages, growth patterns, and operative feasibility were analyzed.


RESULTS
Different brain-stem gliomas showed different growth patterns. In this series, total excision rate of the tumor was 40.5%, subtotal 29.9%, partial 29.6%, and operative mortality 1.3%. Among 311 patients, 72.4% patients had been improved and stable in their symptoms after operation, and 27.6% deteriorated or having transitory new signs. Five years survival rate is 67% in ependymoma patients, 42% in astrocytoma patients. None of brain-stem glioblastoma patients survived up to 5 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The histology and growth pattern of brainstem gliomas varies. The patients with well-differentiated gliomas of brain-stem may be cured by microsurgical removal. For malignant ones, partial removal may prolong survival and facilitate the following combined therapy.
Wang
Chung-cheng
CC
Institute of Neuroscience, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100050, China.
Zhang
Jun-ting
JT
Liu
A-li
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000601:surgery; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality; D011149:Pons / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate