PINEAL REGION TUMORS AND THE ROLE OF STEREOTAXIC BIOPSY - REVIEW OF THE MORTALITY, MORBIDITY, AND DIAGNOSTIC RATES IN 370 CASES

OBJECTIVE: It is classically considered that the morbidity and mortali ty rates are greater for stereotactic biopsies of pineal region tumors , compared with tumors in other regions. However, to date, the number of cases studied in the literature has been insufficient to evaluate t hese parameters and compare them with the morbidity and mortality rate s for stereotactic biopsies of tumors located elsewhere. METHODS: With the aim of evaluating these parameters, we reviewed 370 stereotactic biopsies of pineal region tumors, from 15 French neurosurgical centers . We statistically verified the absence of heterogeneity of the differ ent French centers with regard to diagnostic, mortality, and morbidity rates. In contrast, statistical heterogeneity was clearly seen for th e large stereotactic biopsy series (for all tumor locations) in the li terature. RESULTS: The mortality rate was 1.3% (5 patients of 370), an d 3 patients suffered severe neurological complications. This study is the first to clearly demonstrate that the mortality, morbidity, and d iagnostic rates for stereotactic biopsies are not different in the pin eal region. CONCLUSION: Our conclusion is that stereotactic biopsy mus t remain a main diagnostic modality for tumors of the pineal region.