Intracranial meningiomas in children: report of 8 cases.
OBJECTIVE
Meningiomas, although common in adults, are rare in infancy and childhood. We present a single institution experience of children with meningiomas and a comparison of our findings with other published data.


METHODS
We reviewed the files of 352 children harboring a brain tumor, over a 16-year period. Eight cases of meningioma were verified (2.2%). All patients had been operated on and then had regular follow-up examinations.


RESULTS
There were 6 males and 2 females. The most common symptom was seizures. All tumors were intracranial and all patients underwent a gross total resection of the lesion. Six meningiomas were typical, whereas 2 patients had an atypical meningioma. After a mean 7-year follow-up period, all patients were in excellent condition, without evidence of tumor recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Meningiomas, although rare, constitute a challenging problem. Gross total resection should be the goal and when it can be accomplished, the prognosis is excellent.
Alexiou
George A
GA
Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital Agia Sofia, Athens, Greece. alexiougrg@yahoo.gr
Mpairamidis
Evriviadis
E
Psarros
Antonios
A
Sfakianos
George
G
Prodromou
Neofytos
N
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008579:Meningioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery