[Third ventricle meningioma in a child: case report]

Meningiomas in childhood are rare, and those located in the third ventricle are even rarer, with only 16 cases reported. A five-year-old girl was seen at our hospital with headache and bilateral papilledema. CT scan showed a large third ventricular mass and associated hydrocephalus. Transcallosal interfornical approach was performed with total removal of the tumor, that was attached to the choroid plexus of the anterior third ventricle. Histologically the lesion proved to be a transitional meningioma. The recovery was uneventful, a permanent shunt was not necessary. The diagnosis of these tumors can be done using CT scan or MRI, that usually are sufficient for surgical planning. Angiography usually is not required, unless a vascular lesion is concerned, or embolization is necessary. The treatment of these tumors is surgical, aiming the total removal of the lesion, usually curative once it is acomplished. We report this case, and add a brief review of the literature on third ventricle meningiomas.