title: Efficacy of radio frequency thermocoagulation in surgery for giant supratentorial meningiomas: a historical control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgery for giant meningiomas carries a high risk of bleeding and is time-consuming. This historical control study tests the hypothesis that the use of radio frequency thermocoagulation (RFT) during surgery improves outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  From November 2010 to October 2011, 20 giant vascularized meningiomas were surgically resected with intraoperative use of ultrasound-guided RFT prior to resection. The historical control group consisted of 25 patients in whom tumors were removed without RFT by the same surgical team. Blood loss during resection, changes in tumor consistency, time taken for the operation, and the extent of resection were compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was less blood lost during resection and the duration of the operation was shorter in RFT-assisted surgery than in the historical control group (P<0.05). Apart from the effect of devascularization, the tumor consistency became soft after RFT, which could also be beneficial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Satisfactory devascularization and tumor softening were achieved after RFT without incremental complications. RFT-assisted surgery for giant vascularized supratentorial meningiomas is easier and safer than non-RFT surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Xicai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Lizhou
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: The Health Team of 92872nd Troops, Chinese People' Liberation Army, China.
authors.forename: Yuanyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Central Hospital of Xi'an, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Qianfa
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China. Electronic address: liuwp@fmmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China. Electronic address: feizhou@fmmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fei
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Third Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasonography, The Central Hospital of Xi'an, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasonography, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Guangbin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasonography, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Miaomiao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasonography, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D065386:Historically Controlled Study; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D015173:Supratentorial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Meningioma; Surgery; Thermocoagulation; Ultrasound