TRIGEMINAL INVOLVEMENT IN INTRACRANIAL TUMORS - ANATOMICAL AND CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS ON 73 PATIENTS

Neoplastic involvement of the trigeminal nerve was observed in 73 pati ents operated on in our institution for extra-axial tumours of the pos terior and middle cranial fossae. It was defined as contact, compressi on, or infiltration. The nerve root was involved in 58 patients, the g anglion and/or the peripheral divisions in 9, all portions of the Vth nerve system in 6. A clinical trigeminal dysfunction was present in 44 patients (60%). Anatomico-surgical findings are correlated with clini cal features and with tumour type. Typical trigeminal neuralgia was th e complaint in 7 subjects; all of them presented an involvement of the sensory root. Post-operatively, 11 patients were relieved of their sy mptoms. The outcome is correlated with the anatomical findings and wit h the extent of surgical removal of the tumours. The importance of a c areful evaluation of patients with trigeminal symptomatology is stress ed.