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Surgical treatment of typical peripheral schwannomas: the risk of new postoperative deficits

  • Clinical Article - Neurosurgical Techniques
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Abstract

Background

Although peripheral schwannomas can be resected without postoperative neurological complications, surgeons must anticipate the possibility that new neurological deficits could develop. In order to evaluate the risk of neurological complications in the surgical treatment of these tumours, we performed a retrospective review of cases involving schwannomas in the extremities, as well as an analysis of the related literature.

Method

We reviewed a combined series of 72 schwannomas from the extremities presenting for surgical excision. Meticulous analysis of the files was undertaken, searching for pre-operative findings that could be more frequent in patients with surgical complications. The incidence, severity, and transitory nature of post-operative complications in our series was observed and compared against the literature.

Results

Eleven patients (15.2 %) developed new neurological deficits after surgery: sensory disturbance in seven cases, motor weakness in three, and a single wound hematoma. Most of these complications were temporary. Statistical analysis demonstrated a positive relationship between the presence of complications and both patient age under 50 years (p = 0.02) and tumours greater than 3 cm in greatest diameter (p = 0.02).

Conclusions

Although relatively infrequent, the potential for novel post-operative deficits after the surgical treatment of peripheral schwannomas does exist and should be included during pre-operative counseling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Peripheral Nerve Surgery Unit, Department of Neurosurgery, University of São Paulo Medical School, Rua Virgílio Carvalho Pinto 381 apto 42, Pinheiros, CEP 05415030, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Mario G. Siqueira, Roberto S. Martins & Carlos Otto Heise

  2. Peripheral Nerve Section, Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital de Clínicas, University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Mariano Socolovsky & Gilda Di Masi

  3. Neurosurgery Service, Hospital de León, León, Spain

    Javier Robla-Costales & José Garcia Cosamalón

Authors
  1. Mario G. Siqueira
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  2. Mariano Socolovsky
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  3. Roberto S. Martins
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  4. Javier Robla-Costales
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  5. Gilda Di Masi
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  6. Carlos Otto Heise
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  7. José Garcia Cosamalón
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Correspondence to Mario G. Siqueira.

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Siqueira, M.G., Socolovsky, M., Martins, R.S. et al. Surgical treatment of typical peripheral schwannomas: the risk of new postoperative deficits. Acta Neurochir 155, 1745–1749 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-013-1818-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-013-1818-6

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