The Evaluation of Preoperative Embolization of Meningioma

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of preoperative embolization of meningioma, we examined the correlation between the angiographic disappearance of the tumor blush after the embolization and the volume of blood loss and transfusion intraoperatively. Preoperative embolization of meningioma with intravascular neurosurgery was attempted for 42 trials, 41 cases from July 1989 to December 1995. There were no major complications attributed to the embolization procedure. As a subjective assessment in 23 cases the information from the surgeon following the operation was obtained. The angiographic disappearance of the tumor blush and reducing of the bleeding from tumor could be considered to be statiscally significant (p<0.05). As an objective assessment in 37 cases following operation, the volume of both intraoperative blood loss and blood transfusion was examined. The angiographic disappearance of the tumor blush and reduced intraoperative blood transfusion could be also considered to be statiscally significant (p<0.05), otherwise reduced intraoperative blood loss failed to reach the significance level. In this study the efficacy of preoperative embolization of meningioma has been especially shown to reduce intraoperative blood transfusion significantly, therefore it is very useful to increase the chance of complete tumor removal with more safely and less invasively.