Surgical outcome of low grade astrocytoma of brain

This study was carried out in the department of Neurosurgery, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, during the period of January 2003 to December 2006 to elucidate the effectiveness of surgical treatment in the management of low grade astrocytoma of brain. For this purpose, a total number of 50 cases admitted during the study period with low grade astrocytoma of brain supported by clinical features and radiological investigations (CT and MRI scan) were included in this study. The mean age of the patient was a 27.3+/-16.9 year ranging from 1.8 to 65.0 years. Males (64.0%) were more in comparison to females (36.0%) with a male female ratio of 1.8:1. The main presenting complaints were headache (100%), convulsion (84.0%), vomiting (80.0%), visual impairment (20.0%), motor deficit (16.0%) and ataxia (14.0%). All cases had a definite diagnostic investigation at the time of admission. Plain x-ray skull was done in all patients followed by CT scan (70%), MRI scan (60%) and both CT and MRI scan (64.0%). Out of 50 patients 60.0% had gross total removal of tumor and 40.0% sub total tumor resection. Histopathological study was done in all cases after tumor resection. Among the gross total tumor removal cases highest percentage had good recovery (93.4%) in the immediate post operative period. Only one (3.3%) patient developed severe disability and equal percentage had moderate disability. Another 2(4.0%), those underwent subtotal tumor resection died during subsequent follow up period at 8th and 14th postoperative day.