Preterm delivery in a patient with frontal lobe brain tumor

Abstract

Brain tumors are very rare in pregnancy. Diagnosis could be very simple if one consider brain tumor alongside blurred symptoms of headache, repetitive vomiting and/or epileptic attacks during pregnancy. The aim of this paper was to emphasize the importance of such pregnancy expert control and completion. We presented a 45-year-old pregnant woman at 30 weeks of gestation, and with brain tumor recidive in frontal lobe, hystologicaly confirmed as astrocytoma. The patient was newly diagnosed with tumor in 1995, and monitored until 2003, when she was operated. Due to malignant profile and a partial removal of tumor masses, postoperative gamma-ray therapy was recommended. Because of the continuous need for that kind of therapy, termination of preganancy was also recommended. It was carried out by the application of PGE2 vaginal tablets. Delivery lasted for 8 hours and 50 minutes, and with auxilium manuale sec. Bracht, due to the breech presentation, newborn was delivered 1 550 gramms in weight and 39 cm length. Apgar score was 6/7. Pregnancy in patient with brain tumors can be intensively monitored by neurosurgeons and obstetricians, and with the use of the symptomatical therapy almost up to the delivery term. Surgical intervention is recommended to be performed during the second and/or third trimester if the condition requires. The way of delivery in these patients should be individually determined in the most appropriate way both for the mother and the newborn, under given circumstances.