Common Disconnections in Glioma Surgery: An Anatomic Description

Within the surgical treatment of glioma, extended survival is predicated upon extent of resection which is limited by proximity and/or invasion of eloquent structures. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography is a very useful tool for guiding supramaximal surgical resection while preserving eloquence. Although gliomas can vary significantly in size, shape, and invasion of functionally significant brain tissue, typical surgical disconnection patterns emerge. In this study, our typical surgical paradigm is outlined. We describe our surgical philosophy for resecting gliomas supramaximally summarized as define, divide, and destroy with the adjuvant utilization of neuronavigation and DTI. We describe the most common disconnections involved in glioma surgery at our institution; specifically, delineating tumor disconnections involving the medial posterior frontal, lateral posterior frontal, posterior temporal, anterior occipital, medial parietal, and insular regions. Although gliomas are highly variable, common patterns emerge in relation to the necessary disconnections required to preserve eloquent brain while maximizing the extent of resection.