[Intracranial meningiomas--5 year analysis].

Intracranial meningiomas account for 18.2% of all intracranial tumors. During Jan. 1982-Dec. 1986, 65 cases of intracranial meningiomas were diagnosed after operations and pathologic examinations at Taichung Veterans General Hospital. There were 36 females and 29 males, aged from 18 to 80 with a mean of 52 years. Average period of follow-up was 23.7 months. All patients received craniotomy or craniectomy with or without microscopic technique to remove the tumors & 3 cases received postoperative radiotherapy. The most common sites of meningiomas were the posterior fossa, convexity, parasagittal area and falx. The complete removal rate was 84.8%, the mortality rate 9.1% and the morbidity rate 33%. The major complications were intracerebral hemorrhage, infection of central nerve system, and hydrocephalus. There were 3 cases (4.6%) of multiple meningiomas. The most common symptoms and signs in order were headache, hemiparesis, seizure, nausea and vomiting, conscious disturbance & trigeminal neuralgia. The average duration of symptoms was 18.5 months. There were 9 cases of trigeminal neuralgia and 2 cases of hemifacial spasm. There were 3 cases (5.6%) of recurrence and 4 cases (6.1%) of malignancy. The most frequently found subtypes of meningiomas were the meningotheliomatous type and the transitional type. Mean size of the tumors was 5 cm. Tumor location and its biological behavior were closely related to the removal rate, prognosis and recurrence, while tumor size was of less importance. Ability of daily life was improved and seizure was better controlled by antiepileptic drugs in postoperative days.