Long-term follow-up of meningiomas of the cavernous sinus after surgical treatment alone (original) (raw)

The treatment of cavernous sinus meningiomas: evolution of a modern approach

Neurosurgical Focus, 2013

Cavernous sinus meningiomas (CSMs) are challenging lesions for the skull base neurosurgeon to manage given their close association with cranial nerves II–VI and the internal carotid artery. In the 1980s and early 1990s, with advancements in microsurgical techniques, increasing knowledge of the relevant microsurgical neuroanatomy, and the advent of advanced skull base surgical approaches, the treatment of CSMs involved attempts at gross-total resection (GTR). Initial fervor for a surgical cure waned, however, as skull base neurosurgeons demonstrated the limits of complete resection in this region, the ongoing issue of potential tumor recurrences, and the unacceptably high cranial nerve and vascular morbidity associated with this strategy. The advent of radiosurgery and its documented success for tumor growth control and limited morbidity in cavernous lesions has helped to shift the treatment goals for CSMs from GTR to tumor control and symptom relief while minimizing treatment- and l...

Outcome of aggressive removal of cavernous sinus meningiomas

Journal of Neurosurgery, 1994

✓ Despite recent advances in surgery of the cavernous sinus, meningiomas in that area offer a formidable challenge. The rationale for aggressive surgical removal of cavernous sinus meningiomas is based on the presumption that the extent of removal is inversely related to the rate of recurrence. Over the past 10 years, 41 patients with histologically benign meningiomas involving the cavernous sinus underwent aggressive surgery. Total removal, as confirmed by intraoperative inspection and postoperative radiological studies, was achieved in 31 patients (76%). Twelve patients have been followed for more than 5 years; 10 underwent total tumor removal and only one of these experienced recurrence (5 years after surgery). The other two patients underwent subtotal removal and had symptomatic and radiological evidence of regrowth 3 and 4 years after surgery. Pre-existing cranial nerve deficits improved in only 14% of the patients, remained unchanged in 80%, and worsened permanently in 6%. Sev...

Meningiomas in the region of the cavernous sinus: a review of 21 patients

British Journal of Neurosurgery, 1996

A bstract This is a review of 21 patients with meningiom as involving the region of the cavernous sinus. All underwent surgery, and the fronto-zygom atic (F-Z) approach, ® rst described by Fujitsu and Kubawara, was employed in every case. The m ean age at presentation was 47 years; seven patients were male and 14 female. The mean duration of symptoms before surgery was 4 years. In 10 patients, resection was considered to be complete. Peri-operatively there were two deaths, but the m ajority of de® cits in the survivors were temporary and quickly resolved. The mean follow-up period was 48 months. In that time, ® ve patients experienced recurrence or progression of tumour, of whom three required repeat operation (followed by radiotherapy); and two patients were referre d for radiotherapy alone. These ® ve patients appear to be disease-free 2± 5 years after their additional treatment. Of the 19 patients who left hospital, 17 were able to live independent lives. It would appear from this review that: (1) F-Z craniotomy usually gives excellent exposure to the region of the cavernous sinus; (2) selected patients should undergo angiography with balloon occlusion to evaluate the collateral vascular supply; (3) regular review should include annual MRI. Evaluation over a m uch longer time of both surgery and radiotherapy, individually and in combination, is needed before it will be possible to furnish a treatment protocol for individual cases at initial presentation or recurrence.

Changing treatment strategy of cavernous sinus meningiomas: experience of a single institution

2005

Background: Oncological treatment of a neoplasm is more than surgical removal of the tumor. Probably, this truth is the reason for the ongoing discussion on cavernous sinus meningiomas in the last decade. Debate on optimal management of cavernous sinus meningiomas aims to compare the different treatment strategies: (a) radical surgical resection and (b) conservative surgical resection complemented with radiosurgical treatment. Materials and Methods: Natural history of the change in the management strategy of cavernous sinus meningiomas in our department before and after GK facility became available in 1997 allowed us to compare the 2 aforementioned strategies. Before installation of a Leksell GK unit at the hospital in 1997, the neurosurgical team at Marmara University Institute of Neurological Sciences and Faculty of Medicine (Istanbul, Turkey) treated patients with cavernous sinus meningioma using radical resection (radical strategy, group A, 10 patients). After 1997, the same neurosurgical team used understanding of surgical removal of the extracavernous sinus tumor component with GK irradiation of the intracavernous part (conservative strategy, group B, 12 patients). Another group of patients, who were treated with GK as a first-step treatment, was analyzed (GK group, group C, 26 patients). Results: At the end of the third year, more stable tumor volume control was achieved in groups B and C; after the second year, an incline in the tumor volume-time graph was detected. Group B resulted in less cranial nerverelated complications; a certain degree of improvement in cranial nerve deficits was observed. Conclusion: Comparing 2 different management strategies for cavernous sinus meningiomas in the same hospital setting using the same neurosurgical group, we conclude that extracavernous resection followed by GK is as effective as radical surgery. Considering cranial nerve complications and thirdyear tumor volume control achievement, conservative approach yielded better results. Longer follow-up with larger series is necessary. D

Gamma knife surgery of meningiomas involving the cavernous sinus: long-term follow-up of 100 patients

Neurosurgery

Resection of meningiomas involving the cavernous sinus often is incomplete and associated with considerable morbidity. As a result, an increasing number of patients with such tumors have been treated with gamma knife surgery (GKS). However, few studies have investigated the long-term outcome for this group of patients. 100 patients (23 male/77 female) with meningiomas involving the cavernous sinus received GKS at the Department of Neurosurgery at Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, between November 1988 and July 2006. They were followed for a mean of 82.0 (range, 0-243) months. Only 2 patients were lost to long-term follow-up. Sixty patients underwent craniotomy before radiosurgery, whereas radiosurgery was the primary treatment for 40 patients. Tumor growth control was achieved in 84.0% of patients. Twelve patients required re-treatment: craniotomy (7), radiosurgery (1), or both (4). Three out of 5 patients with repeated radiosurgery demonstrated secondary tumor growth c...

LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY FOR TREATMENT OF CAVERNOUS SINUS MENINGIOMAS

Purpose: Patients with cavernous sinus meningiomas (CSM) have an elevated risk of surgical morbidity and mortality. Recurrence is often observed after partial resection. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), either alone or combined with surgery, represents an important advance in CSM management, but long-term results are lacking. Methods and Materials: A total of 88 CSM patients, treated from January 1991 to December 2005, were retrospectively reviewed. The mean follow-up was 86.8 months (range, 17.1-179.4 months). Among the patients, 22 were followed for more than 10 years. There was a female predominance (84.1%). The age varied from 16 to 90 years (mean, 51.6). In all, 47 patients (53.4%) received SRS alone, and 41 patients (46.6%) had undergone surgery before SRS. A dose of 14 Gy was prescribed to isodose curves from 50% to 90%. In 25 patients (28.4%), as a result of the proximity to organs at risk, the prescribed dose did not completely cover the target. Results: After SRS, 65 (73.8%) patients presented with tumor volume reduction; 14 (15.9%) remained stable, and 9 (10.2%) had tumor progression. The progression-free survival was 92.5% at 5 years, and 82.5% at 10 years. Age, sex, maximal diameter of the treated tumor, previous surgery, and complete target coverage did not show significant associations with prognosis. Among the 88 treated patients, 17 experienced morbidity that was related to SRS, and 6 of these patients spontaneously recovered. Conclusions: SRS is an effective and safe treatment for CSM, feasible either in the primary or the postsurgical setting. Incomplete coverage of the target did not worsen outcomes. More than 80% of the patients remained free of disease progression during long-term follow-up. Ó 2011 Elsevier Inc.

Long-term Tumor Control and Functional Outcome in Patients with Cavernous Sinus Meningiomas Treated by Radiotherapy with or without Previous Surgery: Is There an Alternative to Aggressive Tumor Removal?

Neurosurgery, 2001

OBJECTIVEWe report the long-term follow-up of 31 patients with cavernous sinus meningiomas who were treated either with surgery and radiotherapy (RT) or with RT alone. This retrospective review was undertaken to compare long-term efficacy and morbidity of RT with or without previous surgery versus complete, aggressive surgical removal.METHODSBetween 1980 and 1997, we performed a retrospective study of 31 patients harboring cavernous sinus meningiomas. The patient group comprised 25 women and 6 men. Patients were divided into two therapeutic categories: patients treated with surgery and RT (Group I, 17 patients) and patients treated with RT alone (Group II, 14 patients). Twenty-five patients (14 in Group I and 11 in Group II) were treated for primary tumors, and 6 patients (3 in Group I and 3 in Group II) were treated for recurrent disease. All three patients who were treated by RT alone at the time of recurrent disease had had previous surgery as initial treatment. Tumor control, tr...

Decompression of cavernous sinus meningioma for preservation and improvement of cranial nerve function: Technical note

Journal of Neurosurgery, 2006

A standard frontotemporal (pterional) craniotomy is performed, and extradural dissection is undertaken using the Dolenc 5,6,20 method of posterior orbital decompression, anterior clinoid removal, optic canal opening and nerve decompression, and drilling of the SOF and the respective foramina (foramen rotundum and foramen ovale) of the other two divisions of the trigeminal nerve ). All portions of tumor in the anteromedial triangle of the CS are removed. The middle meningeal artery is cauterized and ligated above the foramen spinosum. As was well described by Dolenc, 6 this technique enables freedom of manipulation of the nerves at their respective foramina.

Large Sphenoid Wing Meningiomas Involving the Cavernous Sinus: Conservative Surgical Strategies for Better Functional Outcomes

Neurosurgery, 2004

The ability to resect meningiomas that involve the medial and anterior compartments of the cavernous sinus has been refuted. In this retrospective study, we determined the efficacy of total resection of meningiomas that invade the cavernous sinus but are restricted to the lateral compartment. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of 38 consecutive patients with sphenocavernous, clinoidocavernous, and sphenoclinoidocavernous meningiomas who underwent surgical treatment. We assessed early and late cranial nerve morbidity, extent of resection, and long-term outcome (mean, 96 mo). RESULTS: In all patients, tumors exceeded 3 cm diameter. In 22 of 24 patients, total microscopic excision was achieved in tumors that involved only the lateral compartment of the cavernous sinus and touched or partially encased the cavernous internal carotid artery (i.e., modified Hirsch Grades 0 and 1, respectively). In 2 of 24 patients, remaining tumor infiltrated the superior orbital fissure. All 14 patients who had tumors that encased (with or without narrowing) the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery (Hirsch Grades 2-4) underwent incomplete resection. Among 38 patients, mortality was 0%, late cranial nerve deficits remained in 6 (16%), and late Karnofsky Performance Scale scores exceeded 90 in 34 patients (90%). Four patients (10.5%) developed a recurrence or regrowth. Of 20 patients who were treated with either linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery or fractionated conformal radiotherapy, 11 had residual tumor and a moderate to high proliferative index, 4 had atypical tumors and 1 had angioblastic meningioma after total excision, 2 had regrowth, and 2 had recurrent tumors. In 18 (90%) of the 20 patients who underwent radiation, tumor size was reduced or controlled. CONCLUSION: On the basis of this study and a review of the literature, we demonstrate that sphenocavernous, clinoidocavernous, and sphenoclinoidocavernous meningiomas of Hirsch Grades 0 and 1 can be excised from the lateral compartment of the cavernous sinus without postoperative mortality and with acceptable rates of morbidity. Residual tumor in the medial compartment (Hirsch Grades 2-4) may be treated with some form of radiation therapy or observation.