Surgical management of anterior clinoidal meningiomas: a 26-case report.
BACKGROUND
Resection of anterior clinoidal meningiomas remains a major neurosurgical challenge. We determine the surgical technique for removal of tumor and improvement of patient's outcome.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed on 26 consecutive patients with anterior clinoidal meningiomas who underwent surgical resection at the Department of Neurosurgery, Renji Hospital, from January 1999 to August 2006. All patients had surgery through the pterional or extended pterional approach. Microvascular Doppler probe was used to protect the internal carotid artery and its branching arteries during dissection of the tumor. Twenty-two of them had severe visual deficits preoperatively. The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 36 months (22.3 +/- 8.8 months).


RESULTS
In this series, Simpson grade II resection in 16 cases (61.5%), Simpson grade III resection in 4 cases (15.4%), Simpson grade IV resection in 6 cases (23.1%) were achieved. Sixteen of the patients with preoperative visual impairment experienced significant improvement. No patients died. There was no evidence of tumor recurrence during follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
In the majority of patients, surgery is still the first choice for total resection of the tumors without major complications. Protection of nerves and blood vessels must be a priority concern during removal of tumors.
Department of Neurosurgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, People's Republic of China.
Hua
H
Cui
Yong
Y
Wang
Yu-hua
YH
Yin
Zhi-min
ZM
Fei
Qi-zhong
QZ
Luo
Ji-yao
JY
Jiang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002426:Cavernous Sinus; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013100:Sphenoid Bone; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology