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Background: The prognostic value of the extent of resection in the management of Glioblastoma is a long-debated topic, recently widened by the 2022 RANO-Resect Classification, which advocates for the resection of the non-enhancing disease surrounding the main core of tumors (supramaximal resection, SUPR) to achieve additional survival benefits. We conducted a retrospective analysis to corroborate the role of SUPR by the RANO-Resect Classification in a single center, homogenous cohort of patients., Methods: Records of patients operated for WHO-2021 Glioblastomas at our institution between 2007 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed; volumetric data of resected lesions were computed and classified by RANO-Resect criteria. Survival and correlation analyses were conducted excluding patients below near-total resection., Results: 117 patients met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 45 near-total resections (NTR), 31 complete resections (CR), and 41 SUPR. Median progression-free and overall survival were 11 and 15 months for NTR, 13 and 17 months or CR, 20 and 24 months for SUPR, respectively (p < 0.001), with inverse correlation observed between survival and FLAIR residual volume (r -0.28). SUPR was not significantly associated with larger preoperative volumes or higher rates of postoperative deficits, although it was less associated with preoperative neurological deficits (OR 3.37, p = 0.003). The impact of SUPR on OS varied between MGMT unmethylated (HR 0.606, p = 0.044) and methylated (HR 0.273, p = 0.002) patient groups., Conclusions: Results of the present study support the validity of supramaximal resection by the new RANO-Resect classification, also highlighting a possible surgical difference between tumors with methylated and unmethylated MGMT promoter., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Petroclival meningiomas are challenging tumors. Several skull base approaches have been proposed in the last decades, with variable rates of postoperative morbidity and extent of resection., Methods: We herein reported the step-by-step microsurgical resection of a large petroclival meningioma through an extended retrosigmoid approach. Detailed surgical technique has been accompanied by a 2D operative video., Conclusion: The extended retrosigmoid approach allowed for a safe gross total resection of the tumor, as confirmed by the postoperative MRI. The patient did not experience any new postoperative deficit, despite a transient diplopia, and was discharged on postoperative day 7., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: IDH-wildtype (IDH-wt) diffuse gliomas with histological features of lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) are rare and heterogeneous primary brain tumours. [ 11 C]Methionine (MET) positron emission tomography (PET) is commonly used to evaluate glial neoplasms at diagnosis. The present study aimed to assess the prognostic value of MET PET in newly diagnosed, treatment naïve IDH-wt gliomas with histological features of LGGs., Methods: Patients with a histological diagnosis of IDH-wt LGG who underwent preoperative (< 100 days) MET PET/CT and surgery were retrospectively included. Qualitative and semi-quantitative analyses of MET PET images were performed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analysed by Kaplan-Meier curves. Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to test the association of imaging and clinical data to PFS and OS., Results: We included 48 patients (M:F = 25:23; median age 55). 39 lesions were positive and 9 negative at MET PET. Positive MET PET was significantly associated with shorter median PFS (15.7 months vs. not reached, p = 0.0146) and OS time (32.6 months vs. not reached, p = 0.0253). Incomplete surgical resection and higher TBR mean values were independent predictors of shorter PFS on multivariate analysis (p < 0.001 for both). Higher tumour grade and incomplete surgical resection were independent predictors of OS at multivariate analysis (p = 0.027 and p = 0.01, respectively)., Conclusion: MET PET is useful for the prognostic stratification of patients with IDH-wt glial neoplasms with histological LGGs features. Considering their huge biological heterogeneity, the combination of MET PET and molecular analyses may help to improve the prognostic accuracy in these diffuse gliomas subset and influence therapeutic choices accordingly., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Surgical treatment of dumbbell jugular foramen schwannomas can be challenging. The main goals of surgery are maximal resection with preservation of function and overall patient quality of life., Methods: In this paper, we present a step-by-step technical description of a microsurgical resection of dumbbell-shaped JF schwannoma using a modified retrosigmoid infra-jugular approach., Conclusion: The modified retrosigmoid infra-jugular is a safe and suitable approach in selected cases. This technique, however, must be limited only to those tumors with minimal extension into the jugular foramen., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)