Surgical treatment and prognosis of adult patients with brainstem gliomas

Publication date: Available online 5 September 2018Source: Neurologia i Neurochirurgia PolskaAuthor(s): Krzysztof Majchrzak, Barbara Bobek-Billewicz, Anna Hebda, Henryk Majchrzak, Piotr Ładziński, Lech KrawczykAbstractThe paper presents 47 adult patients who were surgically treated due to brainstem gliomas. Thirteen patients presented with contrast-enhancing Grades III and IV gliomas, according to the WHO classification, 13 patients with contrast-enhancing tumours originating from the glial cells (Grade I; WHO classification), 9 patients with diffuse gliomas, 5 patients with tectal brainstem gliomas and 7 patients with exophytic brainstem gliomas. During the surgical procedure, neuronavigation and the diffusion tensor tractography (DTI) of the corticospinal tract were used with the examination of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) with direct stimulation of the fundus of the fourth brain ventricle in order to define the localization of the nuclei of nerves VII, IX, X and XII. Cerebellar dysfunction, damage to cranial nerves and dysphagia were the most frequent postoperative sequelae which were also the most difficult to resolve. The Karnofsky score established preoperatively and the extent of tumour resection were the factors affecting the prognosis. The mean time of progression-free survival (14 months) and the mean survival time after surgery (20 months) were the shortest for malignant brainstem gliomas. In the group with tectal bra...
Source: Polish Journal of Neurology and Neurosurgery - Category: Neurosurgery Source Type: research