Spinal meningiomas. Personal experience and review of literature

Resection vs. coagulation of dural attachment in patients with spinal meningioma: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The Simpson grading scale assumes dural resection (grade I) is more effective against recurrence than coagulation (grade II). However, the results of recent studies have raised doubts about this effectiveness in spinal meningiomas. Therefore, we aimed to perform a meta-analysis comparing outcomes between Simpson grades I and II in spinal meningiomas.

METHODS

According to the PRISMA statement, we systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science for studies involving patients with spinal meningiomas who underwent Simpson grades I, II, III, or IV. Outcomes were radiological tumor recurrence, postoperative neurological deficits, and procedure-related complications.

RESULTS

We included 54 studies with a total of 3334 patients. Simpson grades I, II, III, and IV were performed in 674 (20%), 2205 (66%), 254 (8%), and 201 (6%) patients, respectively. The follow-up ranged from 9 to 192 months, and 95.4% of all tumors were WHO grade 1. There was no difference in radiological tumor recurrence (OR 0.80, 95% CI: 0.46-1.36, P = 0.41; I2 = 0%), postoperative neurological deficits (OR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.32-1.75, P = 0.50; I2 = 0%) or procedure-related complications (OR 2.22, 95% CI: 0.80-6.13, P = 0.12; I2 = 3%) between Simpson grades I and II. Furthermore, no significant difference in postoperative neurological deficits or procedure-related complications was detected when comparing all Simpson's to each other. However, radiological tumor recurrences in Simpson I and II were significantly lower than in III and IV, with Simpson III outperforming IV (OR 0.19, 95% CI: 0.09-0.40, P < 0.01; I2 = 0%).

CONCLUSION

Simpson grade I is not more effective than grade II in any outcome, although both are superior to III and IV in tumor recurrence. Our results might suggest that dural coagulation is preferable over resection when the latter carries a higher risk of complications.

Analysis of Factors Influencing the Long-term Outcome in Primary Spinal Cord Tumors: Review of Literature

Introduction Primary spinal cord tumors are amenable to total surgical excision but the outcomes are still diverse.

Objective The purpose of this study is to identify the significant factors which influence the long-term outcome of spinal cord tumors.

Materials and Methods A total of 84 consecutive spinal cord tumor patients who underwent microsurgical excision during April 2003 to 2014 were retrospectively studied. Patients operated after April 2014 were not considered. Ten factors were taken and correlated with the outcome. Multiple regression analysis was used. Patients were periodically evaluated at 1, 6 months, 1, 2, and 5 years. In 72 cases, postoperative MRI scans were performed. The follow-up period ranged between 5 to 15 years.

Results In our study, we had 64 extramedullary tumors and 21 intramedullary tumors with varied pathology. Axial location of the tumour (20.294/0.000), extent of the resection of the tumour (13.827/0.001), preoperative Nurick grade (11.349/0.023), and location of the tumour in the spine with respect to vertebral segments (8.151/0.017) were significant predictive factors. We had good outcomes in 65 cases and poor outcomes in 19 cases.

Conclusion Our results show location of the tumor with respect to axial plane and vertebral segments were the main contributing factors. They influence the extent of excision of the spinal cord tumor. Preoperative neurological status is the fourth factor which independently determines the long-term outcome. It is one of the few papers where patients have been followed-up for a long period ranging from 5 to 15 years.

FDG PET/CT of Benign Psammomatous Meningioma Effacing the Medulla

ABSTRACT

A 62-year-old woman had progressively developing throbbing right neck pain for 1 year. The pain radiated to the right suboccipital area, sometimes accompanied by breathlessness. To rule out cancer, patient received FDG PET/CT, which showed an intraspinal cord intense FDG-avid calcified mass at the level of the first cervical spine, mimicking malignancy. MRI showed it effacing the medulla; surgery is probably a challenge. She received laminectomy with tumor removal; pathology showed psammomatous meningioma, World Health Organization grade I. This case suggests that benign spinal cord psammomatous meningioma with calcification may show high FDG uptake, mimicking malignancy.

Simpson grade 3 resection does not improve clinical outcome in neglected thoracic psammomatous spinal meningioma? A case report

INTRODUCTION

Thoracic spinal psammomatous meningioma is a rare subtype of meningioma. Surgery is the definitive treatment for symptomatic spinal meningiomas and offers a substantial possibility for complete resection and cure.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 42-year-old female complaining of back pain for one year and progressive weakness and numbness of both lower limbs with urinary incontinence and constipation for two months. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an intramedullary spinal mass at D3-D4 level. The patient underwent laminectomy at D3-D5 level, revealing dural bulge. A midline durotomy performed. Intraoperative findings showed firmed, greyish to white and moderately vascular mass. A clear margin was identifiable between cord and tumor. Simpson grade 3 resection was performed. Pedicle screw and rod was placed for posterior stabilization. Histopathological examination demonstrated a psammomatous spinal meningioma. Despite the pain and the sensory sensation was improved, the motoric and autonomic function still showed no significant improvement in the early postoperative period.

DISCUSSION

The preferred approach or procedure must be tailored case by case based on preoperative surgical grading of the tumor and its associated factors. Meanwhile, the prognosis for recovery depends mainly on two factors: the severity of the neurological deficit and the duration of the deficit before decompression.

CONCLUSION

Surgical resection of the tumor may relieve the spinal cord compression in a neglected case. Even though the neurologic function after surgery rarely returns to the functional stage due to chronic neural tissue damage.

Recurrence of spinal meningiomas: analysis of the risk factors

Objective: Spinal meningiomas are slow-growing tumors with low recurrence rate after complete resection. The aim of this study is to investigate the risk factors correlated to the recurrence.Material and Methods: Six patients with spinal WHO grade I meningiomas which recurred after complete resection were reviewed and compared to 50 patients with no recurrence; the data were also compared with those of 50 intracranial meningiomas which recurred and 50 which did not recur after complete resection. The investigated factors included age and sex, tumor location and size, type of arachnoid interface, entity of resection (Simpson I or II), tumor consistency and vascularity, histological type, Ki-67 MIB-1, progesterone receptor (PR) and estrogen receptor (ER) expression. The data were statistically analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method.Results: The statistical analysis showed that the presence of arachnoidal invasion (p = 0.023) and higher Ki-67 LI (p < 0.0001) were the only two significant risk factors for recurrence for both spinal and intracranial meningiomas. Large tumor size (p = 0.012), Simpson grade II resection (p = 0.03) and the absence of PR expression (p < 0.0001) were significant risk factors for recurrence of intracranial but not spinal meningiomas. Finally, age and sex, tumor location, consistency and vascularity, histological type, and ER expression were not correlated to recurrence for both localizations.Conclusions: The proliferation index Ki-67 and the arachnoid invasion are the risk factors for recurrence of spinal meningiomas, whereas tumor size, dural resection and PR expression are not significant. The small tumor size and the limited dural invasion may contribute to explain the lower recurrence rate.