FACTORS AFFECTING MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY FOLLOWING SURGICAL INTERVENTION IN PATIENTS WITH INTRACRANIAL MENINGIOMA

Background: Meningiomas usually grow slowly but they may cause recurre nces despite surgical resection. The impact of clinical, neuroradiolog ical and surgical characteristics on operative morbidity and mortality of patients operated on for intracranial meningioma was analysed. Met hods: A series of 450 patients operated on for intracranial meningioma s at the Department of Neurosurgery, Hacettepe University Hospital dur ing the period 1964-92 is reported. The surgical results were analysed with regard to intracranial site, extent of removal, histological typ e, and different time periods. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic r esonance imaging (MRI) facilitated the diagnosis and helped with the p lanning of treatment. Results: Two hundred and ninety-two patients wer e examined with both CT and MRI. Overall mortality was 4% but showed a decline from 9% in the pre-CT era to 3% in the post-CT era and to 1% in the past 3 years. Conclusions: Operative mortality and recurrence r ates are affected by the intracranial location of the tumour, histolog ical type, and extent of tumour removal. Emphasis is also given to the importance of the introduction of the imaging techniques, and the mic rosurgical techniques with the Cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (C-USA), laser, and/or bipolar coagulator which have further improved the operative mortality and recurrence rates.