Meningiomas of the clivus and apical petrous bone

1986 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc R. Mayberg ◽  
Lindsay Symon

✓ Between March, 1966, and June, 1985, 23 women and 12 men underwent partial or total resection of apical petrous or clivus meningiomas at The National Hospital for Nervous Diseases. Presenting symptoms were typically of long duration (mean 29 months) and consisted primarily of gait disturbance, headache, hearing loss, and facial pain. Cranial nerve deficits, especially affecting the fifth, seventh, and eighth nerves, were observed in nearly every patient. Tumor size, but not location, was generally associated with degree of preoperative disability. Plain skull films were usually unremarkable, but computerized tomography (CT) proved highly accurate in determining tumor location and size. A characteristic pattern of vascular displacement was seen on vertebral angiograms, although blood supply to the tumors was derived primarily from branches of the internal and external carotid arteries. Subtotal or total resection was undertaken in all cases; nine patients required adjunctive cerebrospinal fluid shunting procedures. Although surgical techniques evolved during the course of the 20-year study, a combined supra- and infratentorial approach proved a relatively safe and effective means of surgical treatment. New or worsened postoperative deficits, especially cranial nerve palsies, and complications in the immediate postoperative period frequently resulted in temporary deterioration of the clinical status during this period; the total operative mortality rate was 9%. Follow-up periods ranged up to 9 years; 70% of patients resumed an independent existence, and none is known to have required subsequent tumor surgery. The size of the lesion was the only significant factor in determining outcome. These data suggest that meningiomas of the clivus and apical petrous bone can be accurately diagnosed by CT and three-vessel angiography, and effectively treated by microsurgical resection.

2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 284-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Bao Wu ◽  
Chun Jiang Yu ◽  
Shu Sen Guan

Object. The aim of this study was to discuss posterior petrous meningiomas—their classification, clinical manifestations, surgical treatments, and patient outcomes. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed in 82 patients with posterior petrous meningiomas for microsurgery. According to the anatomical relationship with the posterior surface of the petrous bone and with special reference to the internal auditory canal (IAC), posterior petrous meningiomas were classified into three types: Type I, located laterally to the IAC (28 cases); Type II, located medially to the IAC, which might extend to the cavernous sinus and clivus (32 cases); and Type III, extensively attached to the posterior surface of the petrous bone, which might envelop the seventh and eighth cranial nerves (22 cases). Sixty-eight (83%) of 82 cases involved total resection. The rate of anatomical preservation of facial nerve was 97.5%, whereas the functional preservation rate was 81%. The rate of hearing preservation was 67%. All Type I tumors were completely resected, and the rate of anatomical preservation of facial nerve was 100% and functional preservation was 93%. Regarding Type II lesions, 75% of 32 cases involved total resection; the rate of anatomical preservation of facial nerve was 97% and functional preservation was 75%. For Type III lesions, 73% of 22 cases were totally resected. The rate of anatomical preservation of facial nerve in patients with this tumor type was 95%, whereas functional preservation was 73%. Conclusions. Clinical manifestations and surgical prognoses are different among the various types of posterior petrous meningiomas. It is more difficult for Types II and III tumors to be resected radically than Type I lesions, and postoperative functional outcomes are significantly worse accordingly. The primary principles in dealing with this disease entity include preservation of vital vascular and central nervous system structures and total resection of the tumor as much as possible.


1981 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven J. Goldstein ◽  
Phillip A. Tibbs

✓ A case of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) complicating cerebral arterial ectasia is reported. While ischemia and cranial nerve palsies are commonly associated with this condition, review of the literature reveals that SAH is exceedingly rare. The pathogenesis, radiographic findings, and clinical complications of cerebral arterial ectasia are discussed.


1994 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Diaz Day ◽  
Steven L. Giannotta ◽  
Takanori Fukushima

✓ Surgical access to the parasellar, infrachiasmatic, and posterior clinoid regions has traditionally been accomplished through an intradural pterional or subtemporal approach. However, for large or complex lesions in these locations, such traditional trajectories may not afford sufficient exposure for complete obliteration of the pathological process. The authors describe an anterolateral transcavernous approach to this region that includes the following components: 1) extradural removal of the sphenoid wing and exposure of the superior orbital fissure and foramen rotundum; 2) removal of the anterior clinoid process via the anterolateral route; 3) decompression of the optic canal; 4) extradural retraction of the temporal tip; 5) transcavernous mobilization of the carotid artery and third cranial nerve; and 6) removal of the posterior clinoid process. This method results in enhanced exposure with minimal brain retraction and preservation of the temporal tip bridging veins. This approach has been used in 22 patients: 10 with basilar top aneurysms, eight with craniopharyngiomas, one with a tuberculum sellae meningioma, and two with trigeminal neuromas; the last patient had a carotidcavernous fistula and a concomitant pituitary adenoma. Complete clip ligation was performed for all 10 basilar artery aneurysms, and gross total resection was achieved with preservation of the pituitary stalk in all tumor cases. Microscopic total resection was not possible in two cases of craniopharyngioma due to hypothalamic invasion. Two patients suffered transient postoperative hemiparesis, and one patient has persisting weakness; however, no patient followed for more than 6 months suffered any persistent cranial nerve morbidity. It is concluded that this procedure can serve as an alternative to either the transsylvian or subtemporal approaches when cranial base pathologies are large or complex.


1990 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuo Hashimoto ◽  
Haruhiko Kikuchi

✓ The authors review their 2-year experience with a rhinoseptal transsphenoidal approach to skull-base tumors of various pathologies involving both the sphenoid and cavernous sinuses. Eight patients with cranial nerve palsies attributable to compression of the contents of the cavernous sinus and/or optic canal are included in this report. Among these patients, a total of 17 cranial nerves were affected. Postoperative normalization was achieved in eight nerves, significant improvement in seven nerves, and no improvement in two nerves. There were no operative complications of aggravation of cranial nerve palsies in this series. In spite of the limited operating field, the results demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of this approach. The authors recommend that this approach be considered before more aggressive surgery is undertaken.


1976 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 716-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney A. Rozario ◽  
Bennett M. Stein

✓ When halo-pelvic traction is applied at a rapid rate it may induce cranial nerve palsies. The sixth, ninth, and tenth cranial nerves appear to be the most vulnerable. A proposed etiology is the stretching of these nerves resulting in a compromised blood supply with a consequent temporary paralysis which usually improves within 8 to 10 weeks.


1973 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 610-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bob B. Sanders ◽  
Gary D. Vanderark

✓ Three young patients with transverse fracture of the clivus exhibited clinical findings of progressive cranial nerve palsies associated with a Horner's syndrome. Clinical and radiological findings of this syndrome are described.


2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenan I. Arnautović ◽  
Ossama Al-Mefty

Object. Primary jugular fossa meningomas (JFMs) are one of the rarest subgroups of meningioma, with fewer than 40 cases reported in the literature. The authors retrospectively analyzed the results of surgical treatment in their series of patients, including clinical, pathological, and complication features. The surgical approach was mandated by the pathological anatomy of the tumor as well as by the anatomy of the individual patient. Methods. During a 6.5-year period, the authors performed nine surgeries in eight patients (seven women [88%] and one man [12%]) with JFMs. Six lesions occurred on the right side and two on the left. The most common presenting symptoms were altered hearing in five patients (62%), swallowing difficulties in four patients (50%), and a deficit of the 11th cranial nerve in three patients (38%); a combination of two or more signs or symptoms was common. The surgical approach was tailored to the local anatomy (tumor—neurovascular relationships) found in each patient; three different routes were used. Radical tumor removal was achieved in all patients; one tumor recurrence occurred after 20 months in a patient in whom the tumor had displayed atypical histological features. This woman underwent a second operation. The mean length of hospital stay was 1 week. The mean and the median follow-up period were 45 and 40 months, respectively. The most common complications were transient lower cranial nerve deficits, which resolved or were compensated for in all patients within 1 month. Conclusions. With a careful, extensive preoperative evaluation and appropriate tailoring of the operative approach, JFMs can be radically resected with the expectation of good outcome.


1974 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew R. Turnbull

✓ A case of cerebellar hemangioblastoma is presented in which multiple false localizing signs caused difficulty in the clinical localization of the lesion. The mode of presentation and pathogenesis of these signs are briefly discussed, and the observation made that the ninth and tenth cranial nerve palsies recorded in this case rarely lead to false localization.


1996 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G. Piper ◽  
Arnold H. Menezes

✓ Primary and metastatic tumors of the axis vertebra pose difficult surgical problems. The authors report 14 cases of patients with axis tumors who underwent surgery between 1970 and 1993. The eight male and six female patients ranged in age from 9 to 70 years (mean 46 years). Presenting symptoms and signs included pain in 12, myelopathy in nine, radiculopathy in four, and cranial nerve deficits in two patients. Preoperative instability of the cervical spine was present in eight patients. The goal of surgery was to achieve diagnosis, decompression, and stabilization; the choice of operative intervention was based on tumor location and patient prognosis. Six transoral—transpalatal resections, two lateral extrapharyngeal approaches, four posterolateral decompressions, and 11 dorsal decompressions were performed. Eleven fusion procedures were required to achieve spinal stability. Patients with aggressive tumors requiring concomitant radiotherapy underwent fusion using contoured loop instrumentation or methyl methacrylate, whereas those with benign lesions underwent fusion using traditional techniques. With maximum medical and surgical intervention, 10 patients are alive and their tumors are in remission. In eight of these 10 patients, gross-total resection was achieved. Four patients died from tumor progression, and in three of these cases gross-total resection was not possible. There were no operative deaths and morbidity was minimal. Development of new surgical approaches to the axis has allowed resection of previously inoperable tumors. The extent of resection correlated with the duration of survival. A classification system for axis tumors is proposed to facilitate selection of appropriate surgical approaches that will maximize the extent of resection while achieving or maintaining spinal stability.


1984 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 172-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Rosa ◽  
Mark Carol ◽  
Roberto Bellegarrigue ◽  
Thomas B. Ducker

✓ The case of a patient with multiple bilateral cranial nerve palsies and spinal cord sparing secondary to a stable hyperextension injury to C-1 is presented.


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