A 40-year-old Kenyan woman presented locally with headache, nausea, and vision changes. A 5 cm olfactory groove meningioma was discovered; she underwent subtotal resection. Over the following two years, she developed progressive dizziness, nausea, gait instability, and visual loss prompting medical evaluation at our institution. Physical examination demonstrated blindness, vertical gaze palsy, and prominent frontal bossing. Magnetic resonance imaging of brain revealed a 9 cm enhancing mass arising from the cribriform plate with elevation of an ununited overlying frontal craniotomy flap (Figure 1). She underwent successful resection (Figure) with pathology demonstrating Central Nervous System World Health Organization (CNS WHO) Grade 1 meningioma.
Low-grade meningiomas with subtotal resection carry significantly shorter recurrence-free survival rates than those with gross total resection. Reference Oya, Kawai, Nakatomi and Saito1 In this patient, bone flap displacement from prior craniotomy allowed interval tumor growth while minimizing mass effect on brain parenchyma. This case highlights known global health disparities in low-grade meningioma management related to appropriate healthcare access in underserved patients. Reference Jackson, Hadley and Khan2
Competing interests
Dr Mustafa has consulted with Horizon Therapeutics regarding educational content for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders and neurohospitalist practice.
The remaining authors (Drs. White, Lim, Neth, Carabenciov, and Stitt) report no disclosures.