Intramedullary tumors in children: analysis of 24 operated cases

• Published in: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria Vol. 68; no. 3; pp. 396 - 399
• Main Authors: Gepp, Ricardo de Amoreira, Couto, Jose Mauro Cardoso, Silva, Maria Dorvalina da, Silva, Régis Tavares da, Neri, Eidmar Augusto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO 01-06-2010
• Subjects: Adolescent; Astrocytoma - diagnosis; Astrocytoma - surgery; Child; Child, Preschool; Ependymoma - diagnosis; Ependymoma - surgery; Female; Humans; Infant; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Neoplasm Staging; NEUROSCIENCES; PSYCHIATRY; Spinal Cord Neoplasms - diagnosis; Spinal Cord Neoplasms - surgery; ependymoma; ependimoma; microcirurgia; astrocytoma; medula espinhal; spinal cord; astrocitoma; microsurgery
• ISSN: 0004-282X; 1678-4227; 1678-4227; 0004-282X
• DOI: 10.1590/S0004-282X2010000300013

Intramedullary tumors are rare. The authors reviewed 24 cases operated between 1996 and 2006. The study assessed the clinical characteristics and surgical results based upon the neurological function.
Medical records of patients with intramedullary astrocytoma and ependymoma were reviewed. The minimal follow up time was 6 months and, at the end of this period, a comparative analysis of the neurological function was performed based using the McCormick scale score.
Most patients had astrocytoma (75%). Male gender was more prevalent (58.3%). The most common type of tumor was graded as I or II, and in three cases these were malignant. The total resection of the tumor was achieved in 20.8% of the cases. The statistical analysis did not show a statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative grades at McCormick scale.
The authors concluded that microsurgery to intramedullary tumors did not significantly alter the neurological function after six months.