Preoperative superselective embolization of skull-base meningiomas: Indications and limitations

We evaluated the clinical significance of preoperative superselective embol ization for skull-base meningiomas. The subjects consisted of 20 patients w ith skull-base meningiomas, and were classified into a preoperative emboliz ed group and a non-embolized group. The volume of blood transfused during t he operation, the length of the operative procedure and the neurological ou tcome were compared between the two groups. The results showed that, in tum ors smaller than 6 cm, the blood lost during the operation was significantl y less in the embolized group. In tumors larger than 6 cm, there was not di fference in blood lost, perhaps because larger meningiomas tend to have tin y blood vessels that are unsuitable for preoperative embolization. There wa s no difference in the length of the operation between the two groups. The embolized group tended to show a better clinical outcome than the non-embol ized group.