Loss of hearing. Facial muscle weakness. Dizziness. Unsteadiness and incoordination, hydrocephalus (increased pressure inside the brain), voice and swallowing difficulties.
Meningioma surgery varies from relatively straightforward to highly complex, sometimesrequiring multiple surgeons from different specialties.
The 15 percent of meningiomas that recur often progress to a higher grade. Grade 2 and 3 tumors recur more frequently than grade 1 types
The ease of removal depends upon both their accessibility and the skill of the neurosurgeon. UCLA brain tumor neurosurgeons have extensive experience in removing all types of meningiomas.
Meningiomas have sharp margins and rarely invade neighboring tissue, thus they are ideal tumors for focused, shaped radiation fields using theNovalis Shaped-Beam Surgery.
For those ineligible for surgery or with incomplete surgical removal, either conventional radiation or fractionameningioma of braintedstereotactic radiosurgery(radiotherapy) can slow or stop the growth of meningiomas.
Meningioma tumors that are near the suce and have not invaded deep structures or major blood vessels are more likely to be totally removed safely.
Location, the amount of the tumor left after surgery, and the skill of the neurosurgeon are the important elements in predicting a successful result.
Sometimes a CT scan is obtained to evaluate whether there is any bone (skull) involvement, or if the tumor is calcified.
A meningioma is atumor thatarises from a layer of tissue (the meninges)that covers the brain and spine. Meningiomas grow on the suce of the brain (or spinal cord), and therefore push the brain away rather than growing from within it. Most are considered benign because they are slow-growing with low potential to spread.
This technique does not require actual surgery, but instead uses advanced imaging and computer technology to deliver a high dose of radiation to the tumor while limiting radiation exposure to the surrounding brain structures.
Younger patients (< 50 years of age) need to be counselled about the risk of developing radiation-induced cancer 10 or more years after radiation treatment. Fortunately, the chances of this happenning appear to be very small.
meningioma of brain Conditions,
The most common symptoms are pain (headache) for weeks to months, weakness or paralysis, visual field reduction and speech problems.
Meningiomas are often slow growing, increasing is size only 1-2 mm per year. Repeating yearly MRI scans may be appropriate in the following situations:
Loss of smell (anosmia), subtle personality changes, mild difficulty with memory, euphoria, diminished concentration, urinary incontinence, visual impairment.
UCLA neurosurgeons helped develop the Novalis Shaped-Beam StereotacticSystem, one of the most advanced conformal stereotactic radiation delivery system in the world.
When total removal of the tumor carries significant risk of morbidity (any side effect that can decrease quality of life), it’s better to leave some tumor tissue in place
Meningioma tumors can become quite large. Diameters of 2 inches (5 cm.) are not uncommon. Meningiomas that grow quickly and exhibit cancer-like behavior are called atypical meningiomas or anaplastic meningiomas, and are fortunately rare. Meningiomas represent about 20 percent of all tumors originating in the head and 10 percent of tumors of the spine. About 6,500 people are diagnosed with meningiomas each year in the United States. This type of tumor occurs more frequently in people with a hereditary disorder called neurofibromatosis type2 (NF-2).
Older patients with very slowly progressing symptoms.Related seizures can be controlled with medication.
Seizures, lower extremity weakness, headache, personality changes, dementia, increasing apathy, flattening of affect, unsteadiness, tremor.
Radiation treatment is often considered for deep, surgically inaccessible tumors, or tumors in elderly patients.
Eye-bulging, decreased vision, paralysis of eye movement, seizures, memory difficulty, personality change, headache.
Patients with small tumors andmild or minimal symptoms, no impact on quality of life, and little or no swelling in adjacent brain areas.
For many meningioma tumors, the radiation field needs to be conformed to the shape of the tumor. In addition, delivering the radiation in smaller doses over a period of weeks will reduce the risk of injuring critical brain structures next to the tumor (which may cause blindness, deafnessmeningioma of brain Conditions, paralysis). Some treatment techniques, such as the Gamma Knife, cannot deliver this type of treatment.
If the tumor invades any of the large draining veins, major arteries on the brain suce, or if it is on the underside of the brain, chances of a complete resection decrease and risk of complications increases.
Embolization involves threading a thin tube (catheter) up the leg veins or arteries directly into the blood vessels that feed the tumor.Then a glue-like clotting substance is injected to choke off and shrink the tumor.
Unsteadiness and incoordination, hydrocephalus (increased pressure inside the brain), voice and swallowing difficulties.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans effectively detect most meningiomas and are best at displaying details of the brain.
In some cases, your surgeon may choose to reduce the blood supply to the tumor by ordering an embolization procedure.
The Neuro-ICU cares for patients with all types of neurosurgical and neurological injuries, including stroke, brain hemorrhage, trauma and tumors. We work in close cooperation with your surgeon or medical doctor with whom you have had initial contact. Together with the surgeon or medical doctor, the Neuro-ICU attending physician and team members direct your mily members care while in the ICU. The Neuro-ICU team consists of the bedside nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians in specialty training (Fellows) and attending physicians.UCLA Neuro ICU Family Guide
