Intracranial meningiomas: analysis of 53 consecutive cases with special reference to their operability and surgical outcome

Fifty-three cases of intracranial meningiomas were retrospectivey analyzed with regard to the age and sex diribution, anatomic location, mode of presentation, surgical management, and outcome. Patient age ranged from 25 to 80 years [average, 47.7 years]; overall male to female ratio was 1:1.9. Tumor locations were: 26.4% sphenoidal ridge, 20.8% convexity, 17% sagittal or parasagittal or, 13.2% olfactory groove, 11.3% suprasellar, 9.4% infratentorial, and 1.9% multiple. Delayed diagnosis and referral were common and accounted for a higher number of patients with severe neurologic deficit and blindness. Forty-two patients under-went 47 surgical procedures for number removal; 38 were first operations and 9 were for recurrences. Tumor removal was total in 61% of the first and 33% of the repeat operations; the highest rates were achieved for lesions in the convexity [100%] and the lowest for basal [29%] meningiomas. Outcome following first surgery was excellent in 37%, good to satisfactory in 39%, and poor in 8% of the cases. There was total of 6 [16%] postoperative deaths; however, the 30-day postoperative mortality was 5.3%. The recurrence rate was 5.6% after total and 30% after partial resection. Our results emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of intracranial meningiomas

Pattern of intracranial space occupyig lesions: the experience of the King Khaled University Hospital

Based on retrospective analysis of 212 cases diagnosed and at the king khalid University Hospital in Riyadh over a period of 5 years, this study is the fist attempt to provide preliminary data on intracranial space-occupying lesions in Saudi Arabia. There were 184[87%] neoplasm and 28 [13%] nonrealistic tumors, mostly inflammatory masses. Age and sex distribution was comparable with that reported from other studies. Neuroepithelial tumors comprised 39.7% of all intracranial neoplasms, followed by meningiomas [22.8], pituitary adenomas [16.8%], metastatic tumors [8.2%], malformative tumors [4.3%], and neurinomas [3.8%]. Males were generally more affected than females. Tuberculomas constituted about 5% of all intracranial space-occupying lesions and, therefore, should always be considered in the differential diagnosis