Purely neuroendoscopic resection of intraventricular tumors with an endoscopic ultrasonic aspirator

We present a series of nine consecutive cases of purely endoscopic resection of intraventricular tumors with the aid of an ultrasonic aspirator specific for neuroendoscopy. Nine patients (five men, four women) aged 18 –74 years (mean 43.7) underwent surgery. The most common symptom was headache. In all cases, magnetic resonance imaging showed single supratentorial intraventricular lesions (five lateral ventricle, four third ventricle). The average maximum diameter was 20.5 mm (range 11–42). Associated hydro cephalus was found in eight cases at diagnosis. Five patients underwent complete macroscopic resection. Three underwent subtotal resection and one underwent partial resection (two thirds of the tumor). The mean endoscopic procedure time was 70 min (37–209). The eight patients with associated hydr ocephalus also underwent endoscopic septostomy to improve cerebral spinal fluid circulation, with one patient additionally requiring endoscopic third ventriculostomy and another requiring Monro foraminoplasty. One patient required ventriculoperitoneal shunting. The mean post-operative follow-up was 15.1 months (range 2–33). At the time of analysis, no patient showed recurrence or regrowth of the operated lesion. The histological diagnoses and degree of resection were three subependymomas with complete resection, three colloid cysts with two complete and one subtotal resection, one pilocytic astrocytoma with partial resection (approximately two thirds of the lesion), on...
Source: Neurosurgical Review - Category: Neurosurgery Source Type: research