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Massive Cerebral Edema Associated with Meningioma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

Venkita Jagadha  and
John H.N. Deck
Venkita Jagadha
Affiliation:
Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, University of Toronto and Toronto General Hospital
John H.N. Deck*
Affiliation:
Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, University of Toronto and Toronto General Hospital
*
Department of Pathology, Toronto General Hospital, 200 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2C4
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Abstract:

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Cerebral edema is a well-known complication of malignant astrocytoma and metastatic brain tumour. Though far less frequent, the association of cerebral edema with meningioma is also recognized; this is unpredictable and sometimes out of proportion to tumour size. We describe three cases where the mass effect was due to severe edema, rather than the tumour itself and was responsible for a catastrophic clinical presentation. The mechanisms responsible for the development of severe edema with meningioma which have been previously proposed are reviewed. They include tumour size, location, histologic subtype, cellularity, mitotic activity, vascularity and the presence of excretory-secretory activity. None of these consistently correlate with cerebral edema. Our cases suggest that spontaneous hemorrhage into the tumour may be the common factor responsible for severe cerebral edema. It is stressed that though a decidedly rare complication, cerebral edema secondary to meningioma should be entertained in the differential diagnosis of acute neurologic deterioration of these patients.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , February 1987 , pp. 55 - 58
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1987

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