Infratentorial tumours in adults; 2 years study

ABSTRACT

During the course of two years, 50 adult patients with infratentorial tumours were admitted in our neurosurgical unit at Lahore General Hospital. These were 16.5% of total brain tumours in adults. There were 28 women and 22 men. Most of the patients were from 21 to 50 years of age. Operations were performed in 46 cases. Most of the admissions [45 patients], were through out patient department, and only 5 were through emergency. Commonest symptom was headache [84%] followed by disequilibrium [74%] and visual deficit [72%]. Commonest clinical sign was papilloedema [96%] followed by cranial nerve dysfunction [72%]. Duration of relevant neurological complaints was from 3 months to 2 years. Commonest location was cerebellopontine angle [56%]. Histologically, acoustic neurinoma [52%], metastases [8%] and meningiomas [12%] were the common types. Gross total surgical resection was achieved in 66.6%. Hydrocephalus was present in 84% at presentation. General complications of acoustic neurinoma surgery included CSF leakage in 10%. Total hospital stay has been between 3 to 8 weeks. Radiotherapy was given to 44% of patients. Follow up was possible for only 32% of cases. We did not have a high incidence of metastatic lesions in our patients. We also conclude that intraoperative ventricular tapping and postoperative drainage of CSF is unnecessary and increases the rate of infections; and epilepsy