Experienc e with Meningioma s in the Transvaal African.

Abstract

This contribution analyses clinical experience with fifty-three African patients who presented with neurological deficits due to supratentorial meningiomas. The clinical presentations, and the course following investigation and surgery arc documented. It was noted that more than half the patients presented with severe neurological deficits associated with very large tumours, despite clinical histories of allegedly short duration. The morbidity and mortality attributable to surgery was low, but the gain in useful survival in those patients with large tumours was of dubious value. About 20% of the tumours showed malignant characteristics on histopathological examination, a figure higher than that encountered in Caucasian series.