Awake surgery for hemispheric low-grade gliomas: oncological, functional and methodological differences between pediatric and adult populations.
Childs Nerv Syst 2016;
32:1861-74. [PMID:
27659829 DOI:
10.1007/s00381-016-3069-3]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Brain mapping through a direct cortical and subcortical electrical stimulation during an awake craniotomy has gained an increasing popularity as a powerful tool to prevent neurological deficit while increasing extent of resection of hemispheric diffuse low-grade gliomas in adults. However, few case reports or very limited series of awake surgery in children are currently available in the literature.
METHODS
In this paper, we review the oncological and functional differences between pediatric and adult populations, and the methodological specificities that may limit the use of awake mapping in pediatric low-grade glioma surgery.
RESULTS
This could be explained by the fact that pediatric low-grade gliomas have a different epidemiology and biologic behavior in comparison to adults, with pilocytic astrocytomas (WHO grade I glioma) as the most frequent histotype, and with WHO grade II gliomas less prone to anaplastic transformation than their adult counterparts. In addition, aside from the issue of poor collaboration of younger children under 10 years of age, some anatomical and functional peculiarities of children developing brain (cortical and subcortical myelination, maturation of neural networks and of specialized cortical areas) can influence direct electrical stimulation methodology and sensitivity, limiting its use in children.
CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, even though awake procedure with cortical and axonal stimulation mapping can be adapted in a specific subgroup of children with a diffuse glioma from the age of 10 years, only few pediatric patients are nonetheless candidates for awake brain surgery.
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