A Case Series of Craniopharyngioma: Epidemiological Study and Management Analysis at Tertiary Care Center

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.