Meningiomas: criteria for modern surgical indications

Abstract

The contemporary management of meningiomas is the result of the continuous evolution of neurosurgical techniques, along with the refinement of dedicated instrumentations. Above all, it is the magnification of the surgical view, thanks to the microscope and the endoscope, and their advancements, which allowed the improvement of surgical outcomes, in terms of both extent of resection and morbidity rates. Because of the benign nature of the vast majority of meningiomas, complete tumor resection is curative, and it is the gold-standard treatment. However, in the case of high risk of surgical morbidity, a less aggressive surgical treatment may be justified, also upon tailored analysis of the meningiomas’ biological behavior and the improvements in postoperative strategies. The endoscopic technique plays a role, as a unique visualization tool or in combination with the microscope, in granting so-called maximum allowed resection. Considering the above, the most challenging task confronting modern meningioma surgery remains the selection of the most appropriate surgical approach, the latter greatly depending on location, anatomic tumor features, and relationships with critical neurovascular structures. Herein, we present a cogent analysis of the modern multifaceted indications for the endoscopic treatment of meningiomas, with a glimpse into the adjacent fields.