Transcallosal interforniceal approach to pineal region tumors in 150 children.

Object Pediatric pineal region tumors are very difficult to cure surgically. The authors used the transcallosal interforniceal approach in patients with these lesions. Methods One hundred fifty children, 98 boys and 52 girls, with pineal region tumors underwent tumor resection via the transcallosal interforniceal approach in the pediatric neurosurgery ward of TianTan Hospital. The patients ranged in age from 1 to 15 years. Fifty-eight patients had mature teratomas; 57, immature teratomas; 14, astrocytomas; 3, glioblastomas; 4, pineoblastomas; 2, pineocytomas; 4, choriocarcinomas; 4, cavernous hemangiomas; 2, germ cell tumors; and 2, epidermoid cysts. Results One hundred twenty-nine tumors were totally removed, 15 were subtotally removed, and 6 were partly removed. There were no deaths and no subsequent instances of disconnection syndrome. Short-term memory deficits appeared in 94 patients but resolved within 6 months in most; only a few patients retained persistent deficits. There were 2 patients with mut...