Surgical results of spinal meningiomas

We report on 94 spinal meningiomas in 88 patients operated between September 1977 and August 1994 which were followed for up to 13 years (mean 24 +/- 35 months). Complete tumour resection led to postoperative improvement of every preoperative deficit or symptom. En plaque, recurrent, anterior, and low thoracic or lumbar meningiomas were likely to be resected incompletely. Partial tumour removal, arachnoid scarring, primary dural suture, recurrent meningiomas, and male sex were independent factors predisposing to clinical recurrence. Cauterization instead of resection of the tumor matrix was not associated with a higher recurrence rate.