A case series of craniopharyngioma: Epidemiological study and management analysis at tertiary care center

Abstract

Introduction:Debate continues as to the optimal treatment for craniopharyngioma; radical surgical resection or partial resection followed by radiotherapy. Radical surgical resection may be complicated by intraoperative injury to surrounding structures and stormy postoperative hormonal problems. This study aims to examine the result of safe maximal surgical resection.Methodology:Retrospective study of all histopathologically proven craniopharyngiomas who had undergone surgical resection over an almost 4-year period was included. Data were collected reviewing demography, clinical presentation, hormonal dysfunction, extent of resection, and visual deterioration. Outcome was measured in terms of Glasgow Outcome Scale and recurrence.Results:Of 41 patients, 20(48.8%) were male and 21(51.2%) were female. Age of patients ranged from 1 to 59 years with a mean of 15.9 years. Thirty-seven patients (90%) had headache, 32 patients (78%) had visual disturbances, 23 patients (56%) had vomiting, and 10 patients (24%) had convulsions. Six patients (15%) had memory and sleep disorders and three patients of those >15 years (12.5%) had amenorrhea/sexual dysfunction. Patients who had surgery followed by radiotherapy had better prognosis, so also those aged 18 or less compared to older, males better than females and those without headache had better prognosis, though not statistically significant.Conclusions:Gross total excision if judiciously decided intraoperatively has a favorable outcome with acceptable morbidity. Patient has better prognosis who has surgery with radiotherapy.

Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Craniopharyngioma: A Systematic Review

“…Some studies investigating the onset of disturbances and the outcome of CP patients have reported the occurrence of sleep disturbances; however, without providing any assessment and characterization ( 28 , 31 , 47 ).…”

Pediatric craniopharyngioma with a rare presentation of tooth enamel like structures - a case report

“…7,8 The two peaks in the age distribution of the tumor reported in literature show <10 and >50 years of age. 1,5,7,9,10 The most commonly presenting symptoms are vision disturbances, high intracranial pressure and endocrine manifestations related to the dysfunction of hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland. 1,2,4,5,7,8,9 It is rarely reported during the fetal life with a scant published data in the neonatal period.…”

“…1,5,7,9,10 The most commonly presenting symptoms are vision disturbances, high intracranial pressure and endocrine manifestations related to the dysfunction of hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland. 1,2,4,5,7,8,9 It is rarely reported during the fetal life with a scant published data in the neonatal period. We present the case of a patient who got diagnosed with the supra-sellar tumor on prenatal ultrasound and had surgical resection after birth showing tooth-like enamel structures on a histological diagnosis.…”

“…2,3 The most frequently reported sites of CP in the brain remains the sellar and suprasellar regions. 4,5…”

An Overview of Central Nervous System Tumours

“…Craniopharyngiomas (CPs) (cranio = skull, pharynx = throat, and omatumour) are slow growing benign tumours arising from the squamous epithelial remnants of Rathke's pouch in the sellar/suprasellar region of the brain [229][230][231]. CPs originate along the path of the hypophyseal-pharyngeal duct (craniopharyngeal duct) [232], however, they can extend anywhere from the nasopharynx to the tuber cinereum and may also arise within the sphenoid bone, the sella, or the suprasellar region [229].…”