Abstract
Purpose
Over recent decades, survival rates in pediatric brain tumors (PBT) have been significantly improved due to technological advancements in surgical approaches and intensified chemotherapy. Although disease relapse rates have been reduced, these treatments still come with unavoidable complications. Subdural effusion (SDE) is a significant complication that can occur after craniotomy, with its incidence depending on the surgical approach and potentially affecting the prognosis of the disease. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of post-craniotomy SDE on survival outcomes in patients with PBT.
Methods
Our study utilized a retrospective chart review to examine children diagnosed with PBT at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between January 2013 and December 2023. Survival benefits were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis, while differences in continuous variables were examined using Student's t-tests. The statistical analyses were conducted using GraphPad Prism version 9.0 software.
Results
The study included 178 children diagnosed with PBT, and their progress was tracked for a median duration of 3.8 years (IQR 1.6–7.0). The diagnoses consisted of a variety of brain tumors. The incidence of post-craniotomy SDE was 21.3%. The majority of cases (66%) were managed through observation, while surgical intervention was necessary for 34% of cases. The study found that the presence of SDE was associated with slightly lower survival rates (18.4% vs. 15.0%) and slightly higher disease relapse rates (44.7% vs. 35.7%), although these differences did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusion
SDE is still a frequent complication that occurs after craniotomy in PBT patients. The presence of SDE can have a negative impact on both survival rates and the likelihood of disease relapse in PBT.