Craniopharyngioma in Nigerian children

Between 1971 and 1986, 20 Nigerian children (less than 1 year to 15 years of age) with craniopharyngiomas were treated at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan. The children made up 71% of all patients with craniopharyngiomas seen in the hospital during the study period. The mean age of the 12 boys and 8 girls was 9.2 years. The predominant symptoms and signs were raised intracranial pressure and visual disturbance. Characteristic radiological features occurred in over 60% of cases; about two-thirds of the tumors were cystic. The advanced tumor stage upon arrival at UCH limited the amount of radical surgery that could be done; 31% died soon after surgery.