title: Benign cerebellar pilocytic astrocytomas in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cerebellar astrocytomas are benign tumors of the central nervous system. They represent 10% of all pediatric intracranial brain tumors and 30% of all pediatric posterior fossa tumors especially in the first two decades of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the medical records of patients; age at the time of surgery, pre- and post operative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), localisation of the tumor, hydrocephalus, surgical approach, pre- and post operative neurological status, post operative adjuvant therapy and outcome were documented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The male to female ratio was 20/11. Age at the time of evaluation ranged from 3 to 23 years. Age at the time of surgery ranged from 1 to 18 years. Follow-up duration after surgery was 1-12 years. 55% of these tumors were located at the cerebellar vermis and 45% were at the cerebellar hemispheres. Complete surgical resection was done in 74% of these patients. 5 patients had a second operation because of residual tumor. Ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion was performed in 3 of 31 patients because of symptomatic hydrocephalus and 1 patient had an endoscopic third ventriculostomy pre-operatively. 90% of these patients had no neurological sequelae at follow-up evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cerebellar astrocytomas are benign tumors where total resection is possible in the majority of cases with an excellent outcome.
authors.affiliation: Hacettepe University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Turkey. burcak@tr.net
authors.forename: Burcak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bilginer
authors.forename: Firat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Narin
authors.forename: Kader Karli
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Oguz
authors.forename: Sennur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uzun
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soylemezoglu
authors.forename: Nejat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akalan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery*; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011379:Prognosis; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt