Surgical treatment of meningiomas

Meningiomas, though benign histologically, are relatively common tumors that may behave in an aggressive, clinical fashion. Traditionally, treatment for these lesions has been primarily through surgical excision. This may be curative, but it has become clear that the degree of surgical resection achieved is a primary determinant of the rate of tumor recurrence. Often, the size and location of the lesion is a limiting factor during surgery. The following article describes general principles of surgical treatment as well as some of the pitfalls inherent in treating meningiomas in specific intracranial locations.