Management of cavernous sinus meningiomas

Midline Skull Base Meningiomas: Transcranial and Endonasal Perspectives

Simple Summary

Skull base meningiomas have always represented a challenge for neurosurgeons. Despite their histological nature, they may be associated with unfavorable outcomes due to their deep-seated location and the surrounding neurovascular structures. Over time, several corridors have been proposed, each one carrying its own pros and cons. During the last decades, the endoscopic endonasal route has been asserted among the classic routes for a growing number of midline and paramedian lesions. Therefore, the aim of our paper is to present a comprehensive review of the indications and techniques for the management of skull base meningiomas, emphasizing the ambivalent and complementary role of the low and high routes.

Abstract

Skull base meningiomas have always represented a challenge for neurosurgeons. Despite their histological nature, they may be associated with unfavorable outcomes due to their deep-seated location and the surrounding neurovascular structures. The state of the art of skull base meningiomas accounts for both transcranial, or high, and endonasal, or low, routes. A comprehensive review of the pertinent literature was performed to address the surgical strategies and outcomes of skull base meningioma patients treated through a transcranial approach, an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA), or both. Three databases (PubMed, Ovid Medline, and Ovid Embase) have been searched. The review of the literature provided 328 papers reporting the surgical, oncological, and clinical results of different approaches for the treatment of skull base meningiomas. The most suitable surgical corridors for olfactory groove, tuberculum sellae, clival and petroclival and cavernous sinus meningiomas have been analyzed. The EEA was proven to be associated with a lower extent of resection rates and better clinical outcomes compared with transcranial corridors, offering the possibility of achieving the so-called maximal safe resection.

Rate of progression and severity of neuro-ophthalmologic manifestations of cavernous sinus meningiomas

The progression of neuro-ophthalmologic signs and symptoms caused by cavernous sinus meningiomas (CSMs) was evaluated in 24 patients. Ten patients had primary involvement of the cavernous sinus by meningioma, and 14 patients had extension of a sphenoid ridge meningioma into the cavernous sinus. Eighteen patients were followed after intradural meningioma debulking. Two of these patients underwent conventional radiation therapy after surgery. The other six patients were followed without treatment. Optic neuropathy caused by extension of the CSM was the most frequently (67%) seen manifestation at the beginning of the follow-up period. Proptosis (50%), ocular motor nerve palsies (46%), and trigeminal neuropathy (33%) were also common. During a mean follow-up period of 57 months, 14 patients (58%) had no change in neurologic status, four patients (17%) had improvement in one or more parameters and six patients (25%) worsened. The patients who worsened had progression of preexisting cranial nerve palsies (two patients), developed new cranial neuropathies (three patients), or both (one patient). Patients who worsened had a significantly longer mean follow-up (76 months) than patients who remained stable or improved (47 months) (p = 0.01). Although the signs and symptoms of CSMs may worsen with time, the rate is slow and the degree is mild. These factors are important when considering treatment options.