Clinical Therapeutic Trial of Recurred Craniopharyngiomas

Ahn, Kyung Shin; Song, Young Jin; Kim, Hyung Dong

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Craniopharynigioma is a tumor with high operative complications and recurrence rate due to its anatomical location and growing feature. The authors present clinical features, postoperative complications and clinical course of recurred craniopharyngioma. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of nine recurred cases among 15 patients who were diagnosed as craniopharyngioma. All but one of the nine patients were operated again by only one person in our hospital from August 1990 to October 2002. RESULTS: Of the nine cases, three patients were recurred in total resection group(3/8), 6 patients were recurred in subtotal resection group(6/7). As complications after re-operation, hormonal imbalance was the most common. Two among 4 patients which were re-operated by subtotal resection were followed by radiation therapy and the other 2 patients were followed by bleomycin treatment with ommaya reservoir depending on histologic features. The functional outcomes of re-operation were excellent in 2 patients, good in 3 patients, poor in 2 patients, dead in 1 patient. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that subtotal resection and adjuvant therapy allow better outcome, full recovery, and quality of life than total resection in recurred craniopharyngiomas.