Combined neurosurgical and orbital intervention for spheno-orbital meningiomas - the Manchester experience

ABSTRACT

Purpose

Surgical resection of spheno-orbital meningioma (SOM) is challenging, requiring a multidisciplinary surgical approach. We present our experience of the surgical management of patients with SOM.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of patients with SOM who underwent joint neurosurgical and orbital surgical procedures between January 2000 and June 2017. Pre-operative clinical signs, indication for surgery, surgical complications and post-operative outcomes were recorded.

Results

Twenty-four operations were performed. Mean age was 49.5 years. Ninety-two percent of patients were female. Pre-operatively mean Snellen acuity vision was 6/12; 13 (54%) had an RAPD; 12 (50%) had reduced colour vision; 16 (67%) had a visual field defect. The majority (21 patients, 88%) had proptosis (average 4.5 mm ± 2.8 mm).

The indication for surgery was evidence of visual dysfunction in 17 (71%), the remaining 7 (29%) had high risk of visual loss clinically or radiologically.

Three-months post operatively, vision was stable in 13 (58%), improved in 6 (21%) and worse in 5 (17%). Average long-term follow-up was 82 months (1–220). Fourteen (58%) maintain improved or stable visual function. Four (17%) had reduced vision due to regrowth of the tumour at an average of 24 months.

Conclusion

SOMs are very challenging to treat surgically. In this cohort the patients were predominantly young females with aggressive disease. Visual function was improved or stabilised in 79% of the patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Meningioma
• orbital surgery
• skull base surgery
• sphenoid wing meningioma
• spheno-orbital meningioma

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of all project participants and all project activities to the ideas that underpin this paper.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Ethical Approval

This was a locally registered Audit so did not require formal ethical approval.