Using cortical function mapping by awake craniotomy dealing with the patient with recurrent glioma in the eloquent cortex

BACKGROUND: Awake craniotomy is an effective method by which to reduce postoperative neurologic deficit in newly-diagnosed glioma patients. However, the level of functional preservation in patients undergoing resection of recurrent glioma remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate functional outcomes in patients with recurrent glioma undergoing awake craniotomy as compared with conservative general anesthesia craniotomy for tumor resection. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 225 patients who had recurrent gliomas from May 2013 to January 2016 in our institution. New-onset neurological deficits were evaluated on postoperative day 7 (early) and at 3 months (late). General performance was assessed both preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The early neurological deficit rate was 3.8% in the awake craniotomy group and 21.6% in the general anesthesia group (p. 0.032), while the late neurological deficit rates were 3.8% and 11.5%, respectively (p. 0.231). Moreover, 46.1% of patients in the awake craniotomy group and 12.6% in the general anesthesia group demonstrated an improvement in the Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Awake craniotomy is an effective and safe method by which to perform recurrent glioma surgery. The neurological outcomes and general performance after awake craniotomy in recurrent glioma patients were better than those in patients undergoing general anesthesia craniotomy.