title: Surgical excision of peripheral nerve schwannomas: analysis of 11 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Benign schwannomas are the most common tumour of the peripheral nerves. Symptomatic schwannomas are treated by surgical excision, but new neurological deficits may develop. We performed a retrospective review of cases of schwannomas in the extremities and reviewed the relevant literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the demographic characteristics of 11 patients with schwannomas treated at our institution. We also reviewed the clinical characteristics and postoperative results of these cases, determined the possible risk factors influencing the development of complications and compared the risk factors with those reported in the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were five males and six females with a mean age of 37.6 (range: 17-62) years. The mean postoperative follow-up was 54.6 (range: 26-88) months. Three tumours were located in the forearm and the rest were localized in the lower extremity. No recurrences were observed during the follow-up period. New motor and sensory deficits were observed in only one patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Schwannomas in the extremities can be excised with acceptable risk of neurological deficits. Meticulous dissection is required during surgery.
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kayseri, Turkey. drikaraman@gmail.com.
authors.forename: İbrahim
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Karaman
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mithat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Öner
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: İbrahim Halil
authors.initials: İH
authors.lastname: Kafadar
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Güney
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Argun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult