There are several methods of treating meningioma – conservative, surgical, radiation therapy, and endovascular surgery. Depending on the type of tumor, its size and aggressiveness, these treatments can be combined. The complex of treatment is determined individually for each patient: the decision is made by the neurosurgeon and oncologist. Important fact: steroid medications for brain tumors are not a treatment method, but an emergency first aid kit. They are used when meningioma of the brain causes severe swelling of the brain, and it is necessary to gain time to prepare the patient for surgical treatment. Steroid medications for meningioma help to avoid massive edema of the brain and reduce the risk of an adverse outcome.
If the meningioma of the brain is benign, smaller than 1 cm in size and does not grow, it should be monitored regularly every 3-6 months using MRI with contrast. A neurosurgeon and a neurorentgenologist examine the images and decide whether to have surgery and remove the meningioma. The conservative method is most often used to treat benign meningiomas of small size.
Even if the benign meningioma of the brain is small and the patient has no symptoms, it is important to monitor its condition. If the doctor sees that the brain tumor is growing during dynamic monitoring (performed every 3-6 months), then it is important to remove it in time before it begins to compress the nerve structures and leads to swelling in the brain. If the tumor destroys the bones of the skull, this is also an indication for surgical treatment.
Surgical treatment of meningioma is the most preferred way to fight the tumor. Since most meningiomas of the brain are benign, surgery often leads to a complete cure – meningioma relapse occurs only in 3-5% with radical removal of the formation.
Modern robots have not replaced the hands of an experienced neurosurgeon, so an open surgery method is used for brain tumors. At the EMC, such operations are performed by highly qualified doctors with extensive experience in meningioma removal. Tumors are removed using minimally invasive surgery, which allows manipulation of the tumor structures with high sensitivity and protects the brain from damage.
During surgical removal of a brain tumor, the EMC uses innovative techniques. These are neurophysiological monitoring, neuronavigation, intraoperative MRI and radiation therapy: all this helps to reduce the likelihood of recurrence of such a tumor.
Thanks to intraoperative MRI, surgeons can monitor the process of tumor removal and make the surgical treatment process safe.
If the tumor is large, it often has many vessels and is richly supplied with blood: sometimes such a meningioma needs to be embolized using endovascular surgery before surgery. Using special adhesive compositions, the surgeon closes part of the vessels on the meningioma. Subsequently, the patient practically does not lose blood during the operation. Sometimes endovascular vascular sealing is the only way to treat elderly patients when they cannot undergo major surgery. This method stops tumor growth and preserves the quality of life.
There are cases in which doctors combine surgical treatment of meningioma with radiation. This method of treatment is often used for malignant meningioma. Doctors irradiate the tumor bed or part of it (which cannot be removed).
The EMC also uses stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to treat meningiomas. Before the start of the radiation therapy session, a four-dimensional CT scan (computed tomography) is performed. This makes it possible to identify the target for tumor irradiation in the most accurate way. As a result of this approach, the meningioma of the brain is directly irradiated during radiation therapy, while healthy tissues remain intact.
Radiation therapy is not required for every meningioma: the final decision is made by a council of doctors of different specialties (radiotherapists, neurosurgeons, oncologists) .
Very often, meningioma of the brain is diagnosed completely by accident during annual checkups, since there are no symptoms. If the doctor suspects meningioma, he refers the patient for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast. This study allows us to assess the size of the tumor: how strongly it affects the brain and whether it needs to be removed (surgery is not always required for meningiomas of the brain)
.
The causes of complications after meningioma removal are most often associated with infection. To avoid them, the EMC operating room clinic uses a special air disinfection system with laminar flows in the operating rooms, which do not allow air from outside to enter the operating unit. Sterile disposable instruments are also used during surgery to remove meningiomas and other tumors. Neurological complications often occur in patients after removal of brain tumors – they manifest themselves with symptoms such as weakness in the leg or arm, vision problems. Trained neurophysiologists are present at the EMC for surgery, who help to remove the tumor and avoid touching other brain structures. Modern equipment also contributes to the safety and high efficiency of each tumor removal operation. This means that the patient's recovery will take place without adverse symptoms and complications.
Usually, the reasons why meningioma cannot be removed are related to the patient's severe somatic condition. The EMC clinic employs a team of highly qualified specialists of various categories, which allows for surgery for a patient who is in extremely serious condition and reduces the risk of complications after tumor removal. So, if a patient enters the EMC with a neurological deficit and meningioma, we remove the tumor and create conditions for further comfortable recovery. The patient is undergoing stage-by-stage rehabilitation at our Center in Zhukovka, where his condition is monitored by various specialists (not only a neurologist and a neurosurgeon) .
