[Spinal meningiomas].
OBJECTIVE
To present the incidence, clinical presentation, radiological features, localization, surgical techniques, and long term results of surgically treated spinal meningiomas.


METHODS
We review retrospectively 57 spinal meningiomas in 55 patients operated between January 1980 and June 2004. Age, sex, duration and type of symptoms, radiological and surgical results, histological features and long term outcome are analyzed.


RESULTS
Fifty five patients, consisting 46 females and 9 males, with an age range from 12 to 84 years (mean 65.2+/-9.2) were identified. The first symptom was motor deficit (N=34, 61.8%) and the mean duration symptoms were: 6.2 months. Distribution along the spinal axis was 51 thoracic, 5 cervical and 1 lumbar. The most common type was meningothelial (N=31, 54.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Meningiomas account in our experience, the 46% of spinal cord tumours and account the 7.5% of all meningiomas. They are more frequent in females most frequently occur in the thoracic region and have low recurrence rate. Typically, they are located in the intradural extramedullary space, grow slowly, and spread laterally in the subarachnoid space. Finally we concluded that magnetic resonance imaging is the best imaging technique for diagnosis and total tumour resection improved the surgical results of spinal meningiomas.
Gelabert-González
M
M
Hospital Clínico Universitario, Departamento de Cirugía, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela.
García-Allut
A
A
Martínez-Rumbo
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008579:Meningioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D016896:Treatment Outcome