Tag: Visual field deficit

Posted on

Temporal Lobe Arteriovenous Malformations: Surgical Outcomes With a Focus on Visual Field Defects and Epilepsy

Temporal lobe AVM

Neurosurgery 73:854–862, 2013

Temporal lobe arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) represent a subgroup of intracranial AVMs with particular characteristics and management issues.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the surgical outcomes of temporal lobe AVMs with emphasis on visual field deficits (VFDs) and seizures.

METHODS: Between 1992 and 2008, 29 patients were operated on for temporal lobe AVMs. Patient data were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

RESULTS: Twelve of 29 patients (41.4%) presented with seizures and 4 (13.7%) presented with VFDs. Postoperatively, 6 patients (24%) showed new VFDs and 2 improved, with a rate of preservation of full visual fields of 84%. Larger AVMs (.3 cm) were significantly associated with postoperative VFD (P = .008). Epilepsy outcomes assessed by the Engel scale were as follows: 9 patients (75%) were in class I (seizure free), 1 patient (8.3%) was in class III, and 2 patients (16.6%) were in class IV (no change or worsening). Postoperative modified Rankin Scale outcomes were excellent (grade 0-1) in 18 patients, good (grade 2) in 7, and poor (grade 3-4) in 4. Older age at diagnosis correlated with a worse functional outcome (Spearman r = 0.369; P = .049). AVMs were totally removed in 27 of 29 patients (93.1%). Complete surgical excision was confirmed with angiography. Two patients needed reoperation for AVM remnant. Three patients had persistent hemiparesis (10.3% permanent morbidity). There was no mortality.

CONCLUSION: Seizure control is usually underappreciated in the surgical management of AVMs. However, in temporal lobe AVMs, good outcomes with low morbidity and good visual field preservation can be accomplished.

Posted on

Surgical treatment of parasagittal and falcine meningiomas of the posterior third

Acta Neurochir (2012) 154:1987–1995

To the authors’ knowledge, meningiomas of the posterior third of the falx and the parasagittal sinus have never been specifically described to date and correlated visual outcome remains unclear. With this retrospective study we describe the clinical characteristics of these tumours, their surgical management, and the improvement in visual disturbances after surgery.

Methods Twenty-six consecutive patients (22 females, 4 males; mean age, 54 years) operated on for parasagittal (n022) and falcine (n04) meningioma between 1990 and 2010 were analysed retrospectively. Preoperative planning included magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance venography (MRV) or angiography. Sinus invasion was classified as normal, stenotic or occluded from the imaging findings and according to the Sindou classification from the intraoperative notes.

Results Visual disturbances and headache (in 21 and 14 cases, respectively) were the most commonly referred symptoms; visual field deficit was present in 19 patients. Simpson grade I was obtained in four patients, grade II in 15, grade III in three, and grade IV in four. The main limiting factor for total removal was sinus involvement. No perioperative deaths or relevant postoperative complications occurred. The mean follow-up was 107 months. Visual field deficit improved or resolved in almost half of the patients during the follow-up period. Three (12%) patients relapsed, two were treated with Gamma Knife surgery (stable at current writing) and the third died of disease progression.

Conclusions Outcome after surgery compares favourably with other parasagittal meningioma localisations and overall morbidity is negligible. Visual function is crucial for clinical outcome. Since an improvement of the deficit might still be possible, every effort should be undertaken to preserve the visual cortex.

Proudly powered by WordPress