title: Ten years of experience with microsurgical treatment of large and giant petroclival meningiomas.
abstract: During a 10-year period, 41 patients underwent surgery for resection of large or giant petroclival meningiomas. Gross total resection (GTR) was accomplished in 25 patients (61.0%), subtotal resection (STR) in 15 patients (36.6%), and partial resection in one patient (2.4%). Postoperative complications were observed in 27 patients (65.9%). Postoperative radiosurgery was administered in six patients who had residual tumors. Survival and postoperative quality of life are the goals of successful surgery on large or giant petroclival meningiomas, and the strategic surgical approach is based on the tumor location, the direction of growth, the invasion of adjacent structures, patient age and neurosurgeon expertise. Selectively pursuing STR with radiotherapy rather than GTR is a reasonable strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, 45 Changchun Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100053, China. victorft369@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Yongjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li