Wojciech Wasilewski

Meningiomas of the lateral ventricles of the brain in children

Abstract Meningiomas of the lateral ventricles of the brain are rare tumours, accounting for approximately 0.5–5% of all intracranial meningiomas. Their natural history and symptomatology and the possibilities of early diagnosis are presented. The intraventricular location of the slow-growing benign mass provides a compensatory mechanism in the form of reserve space, which contributes to the delay in clinical demonstration of symptoms and signs. This makes the choice of diagnostic procedure an essential problem. CT and MRI are useful in detecting these masses, and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) has also proved to be of great value in demonstrating the vascular supply of the tumour. This paper deals with two cases. In case 1 CT, MRI and MRA and in case 2 CT examination proved to be very useful. The tumours were removed by a transcortical approach in the posterior area.

Posterior fossa tumors in children – indications for ventricular drainage and for V-P shunting

A clinical analysis of 95 patients with posterior fossa tumors treated in the Department of Neurosurgery of the Medical University in Gdansk over a period of 16 years (1979–1995) is presented. The following preoperative factors were studied: localization, size and suspected type of tumor, size of the ventricular system, and presence or absence of the “halo” symptom. The indications for ventricular drainage (Fisher) versus V-P shunting as a preliminary treatment are discussed. Finally, the advantages of each of these procedures are emphasized.

Śluzowiak zatoki czołowej penetrujący do jamy czaszki

We discuss a case of 49-year-old man admitted to our Department with headache and tumor of frontal region since 3 months. We report clinical features and imaging data of mucocele of frontal sinus that penetrates into cranial cavity. The mucocele had damaged anterior and posterior walls of frontal sinus with intracranial penetration. There was intact dura of anterior fosse. External approach with coronal incision was performed, mucocele was evacuated and mucosa was removed. Then frontal sinus was cranialized with reconstruction of anterior wall and finally wide nasal drainage was performed. Intracranial mucocele of the frontal sinus is rere evidence. The key difficulties may be related to dura preservation and reconstruction of anterior wall of frontal sinus.