[Cranio-orbital meningiomas and their surgical treatment]

Since 1968 the authors performed operations on 241 patients for cranio-orbital tumors, 156 of which (64.7%) were meningiomas: 103 (42.8%) were hyperostotic and 53 (22%) were nodular. The authors describe the features of the diagnosis and clinical picture of hyperostotic and modular forms of cranio-orbial meningiomas and the direction of their prevalent growth (intracranial, intraorbital, and extracranial). Unilateral exophthalmos and hyperostosis are characteristic signs of cranio-orbial meningiomas. Single-stage transcranial approach is the only adequate method for the surgical management of cranio-orbial meningiomas at the early stage of the disease. Original modification of this method were elaborated depending on the form and the prevalent direction of the growth of meningiomas. In the early stage of the disease, a wide transcranial approach with the use of microsurgical techniques provides for the radical removal of the tumor, preservation of the eyeball and its neuromuscular apparatus and disappearance or considerable reduction of exophthalmos.