Recurrence and outcome in skull base meningiomas: do they differ from other intracranial meningiomas?
OBJECTIVE
Meningiomas have diverse presentations and the skull base harbors the most difficult of them to operate upon. The objective of this study was to learn whether the recurrence and outcome of these tumors may differ based on their location.


METHODS
Consecutive admissions with intracranial meningiomas between 1999 and 2004 were considered according to their location, WHO grade, recurrence, and outcome following treatment.


RESULTS
There were 83 skull base meningiomas and 86 at other locations. In 22 cases of skull base tumors there was recurrence (26.5%), while 15% (13) of the other group showed recurrence. There was no statistically significant difference in the outcome between the two groups; though skull base lesions had a better outcome based upon a raw count. Only 5.1% of skull base meningiomas in comparison to 10.6% of non-skull base meningiomas had death or significant morbidity. Increasing age was associated with poor outcome (p < 0.001) while recurrence was a function of skull base location (p < 0.03) on logistic regression analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Skull base meningiomas can be operated upon with good outcome, which is comparable to the convexity meningiomas. Except for the increasing age, skull base location does not contribute to increased mortality or morbidity.
Nanda
Anil
A
Department of Neurosurgery, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana.
Vannemreddy
Prasad
P