CHOROID-PLEXUS PAPILLOMAS

Choroid plexus papillomas (CPPs) are rare neoplasms accounting for les s than 1% of all intracranial tumours. We present our experience with 13 consecutive cases managed by us between 1981 and 1991. There were e ight children and five adults. Five patients had tumours in the 4th ve ntricle, four in lateral ventricle, one in the 3rd ventricle, two in t he cerebellomedullary cistern and one in the cerebellopontine angle. T he cerebellomedullary cistern is a rare site for CPPs. Although the 4t h ventricle remains the common site for adult CPPs, in our series ther e was a higher incidence of posterior fossa papillomas even in childre n. Only six patients out of 13 underwent precraniotomy shunts. All pat ients had their tumours operated upon and verified histologically. Tot al excision of he tumour could be achieved in nine patients; only a su b total excision was possible in the remaining four. There were two su rgical mortalities in the earlier part of this series. Two patients wi th subtotal excisions underwent radiation therapy; one of these had re growth of the tumour and another was lost to follow up. The other nine patients are doing well with a follow-up ranging from 9 to 90 months. Surgical resection with the objective of achieving total excision sho uld be attempted in these tumours.