Outcome of medical and surgical management in intractable idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.

Background: The neurovascular conflict in trigeminal neuralgia is an intractable condition; medical treatment is usually of long duration and can be annoying for both patients and clinicians.

Aim: This prospective study was designed to assess the outcome of microvascular decompression (MVD) in patients with more than 3 years' history of intractable idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and poor response to drugs.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-one patients (8 females and 13 males) with intractable idiopathic TN (group 1) underwent MVD and were followed up for 2 years.

Olfactory groove meningiomas: clinical outcome and recurrence rates after tumor removal through the frontolateral and bifrontal approach.

Objective: Olfactory groove meningiomas account for 8 to 13% of all intracranial meningiomas. Surgical removal is often performed through the bifrontal, unilateral subfrontal (frontolateral), or pterional approach. We report on the clinical outcome and recurrence rate after surgical treatment of olfactory groove meningiomas in our neurosurgical department.

Olfactory groove meningiomas: clinical outcome and recurrence rates after tumor removal through the frontolateral and bifrontal approach.

Objective: Olfactory groove meningiomas account for 8 to 13% of all intracranial meningiomas. Surgical removal is often performed through the bifrontal, unilateral subfrontal (frontolateral), or pterional approach. We report on the clinical outcome and recurrence rate after surgical treatment of olfactory groove meningiomas in our neurosurgical department.

Tuberculum sellae meningiomas: clinical outcome considering different surgical approaches.

Objective: Tuberculum sellae meningiomas present a special challenge because of their proximity to arteries of the anterior circulation, anterior visual pathways, and the hypothalamus. The authors report on the clinical outcome after surgical treatment of tuberculum sellae meningiomas in our neurosurgical department.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted analyzing the charts of the patients, including surgical records, discharge letters, histological records, follow-up records, and imaging studies.

Cavernous angiomas within the internal auditory canal.

Object: The aim of this study was to describe the symptomatology, radiological features, and surgical treatment of patients with cavernous angiomas within the internal auditory canal (IAC).

Methods: The authors reviewed the cases of seven patients with cavernous angiomas in the IAC that had been surgically treated in the 22-year period between 1983 and 2005. All the patients had presented with sensorineural hearing loss, and four suffered from tinnitus.

Medial sphenoid wing meningiomas: clinical outcome and recurrence rate.

Objective: To provide clinical data concerning the visual outcome and recurrence rate of medial sphenoid wing meningiomas in consideration of two different subgroups of this tumor entity.

Methods: Among 256 sphenoid wing meningiomas, there were 108 medial sphenoid wing meningiomas of globoid shape. They were classified into Group 1 (without cavernous sinus involvement) and Group 2 (with cavernous sinus involvement).

Sphenoid wing meningiomas with osseous involvement.

Background: Sphenoid wing meningiomas (SWMs) with osseous involvement are neurosurgically challenging because of their position within the skull base and their high rates of recurrence. Sufficient resection of these meningiomas requires extensive surgical exposure. We report on 82 patients with meningiomas infiltrating the sphenoid wing, analyzing radiological appearance and its influence on surgical management.

Facial and cochlear nerve function after surgery of cerebellopontine angle meningiomas.

Objective: Meningiomas of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) share a common location, but their site of dural origin and their relationship to surrounding neurovascular structures of the CPA are variable. The clinical presentation and outcome after surgical resection are different because of the diversity of this tumor entity. We report on a series of 421 patients with CPA meningiomas, with special emphasis on the analysis of the preoperative and postoperative facial and cochlear nerve function in relation to the site of dural attachment and main tumor location in the CPA cistern.

Meningiomas of the cerebellopontine angle with extension into the internal auditory canal.

Object: Only some meningiomas of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) extend into the internal auditory canal (IAC) or arise from its dural lining. The authors investigated cases of CPA tumors in which the meningioma was inserted in the dura mater in or at the ICA or infiltrated a cranial nerve.

Methods: The authors reviewed patient charts including surgical and clinical records, intraoperative recordings of auditory evoked potentials, records of postoperative auditory examinations, and imaging studies.

Transition from meningeal melanocytoma to primary cerebral melanoma. Case report.

The authors describe the first case of an intracranial transition of a melanocytoma into a primary malignant melanoma within a short time. A 37-year-old woman presented with progressive brainstem syndrome due to a tumor, originally diagnosed and treated 12 years earlier, that extended from the petroclival area to the anterior craniocervical junction. The histological workup following subtotal tumor resection of the initial tumor had revealed the typical features of a fibrous melanocytic meningioma without increased proliferation.

Meningiomas of the internal auditory canal.

Objective: Meningiomas arising primarily within the internal auditory canal (IAC) are notably rare. By far the most common tumors that are encountered in this region are neuromas. We report a series of eight patients with meningiomas of the IAC, analyzing the clinical presentations, surgical management strategies, and clinical outcomes.

Intraventricular meningiomas: a review of 16 cases with reference to the literature.

Background: Primary intraventricular meningiomas are notably rare with an incidence of 0.5 to 3% among all intracranial meningiomas. We present a series of 16 patients with histologically verified intraventricular meningiomas, the clinical and neuroradiological findings, and surgical results.

Microvascular decompression to treat hemifacial spasm: long-term results for a consecutive series of 143 patients.

Objective: The concept of neurovascular decompression for the treatment of hemifacial spasm is now widely accepted. In this study, we report our long-term results for 145 cases treated with this procedure.

Methods: The results of 145 microvascular decompressions to treat hemifacial spasm (performed between 1980 and 1998) among 143 patients (62.