Re-Operation for Recurrent Brain Tumors in Children

Abstract

In order to determine the efficacy of re-operating on recurrent brain tumors, we did a retrospective analysis of 39 children who underwent such surgery between 1975 and the present. A total of 52 procedures was performed for recurrence of both benign and malignant tumors. 9 patients are neurologically normal and 12 are independent but left with some sort of neurologic deficit for an average of 31 months and 32 months, respectively, postoperatively. 1 child presented severely handicapped and remains so 18 months after his most recent surgery. 17 patients died. 11 improved after re-operation and lived an average of 12 months. 4 were unimproved with an average survival of 10 months. There were 2 surgical deaths for an operative mortality of 4%. We feel that re-operation is a useful therapy for both benign and malignant recurrent brain tumors, and prolongs both the quantity and quality of life in appropriately selected patients.

Die interdisziplinäre Therapie von Ependymomen im Kindesalter

“…Ein Einfluss auf das Gesamtüberleben wurde jedoch nicht gefunden. Andere Untersuchungen sehen einen therapeutischen Gewinn durch die Rezidivoperation für Lebensqualität und Überlebenszeiten [4].…”