[Diagnosis and treatment of paragangliomas in the central nerve system].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the diagnosis and treatment of paragangliomas in the central nerve system.


METHODS
17 patients with paragangliomas in the central nerve system over a 20-year period (1976-1999) were analyzed retrospectively. They included 11 patients with glomus jugular tumors, 1 with carotid body tumor, 1 with supersellar paraganglioma, 2 with spinal involvement, and 2 with superficial hemisphere involvement.


RESULTS
Neoplasm was completely resected in 11 patients, subtotally in 3, and partial in 3. The postoperative mortality was 1/17. One patient remained severe disability, yet the others had excellent long-time outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Both the characteristic clinical presentation and neuroradiological manifestation were useful for preoperative diagnosis. Total resection is ideal for paragangliomas. Preoperative embolization should be used routinely to control intraoperative bleeding, and postoperative radiation-therapy would be valuable to control the recurrence of the remaining tumor.
Wu
J
J
Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China. wjsongc@online.sh.cn
Zhou
L
L
Chen
H
H
Mao
Y
Y
Zhang
F
F
D000328:Adult; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome