ABSTRACT
Tuniz et al., 2009). Postoperative mortality rates as high as 9% (median, 3.6%) have been reported (Samii, 1992; DeMonte et al., 1994; Couldwell et al., 1996; Samii et al., 1996, 1997; George, 1997; Spallone et al., 1999; Natarajan et al., 2007). As a consequence, clinicians must choose between complete resection (with its substantial risk of morbidity) and subtotal resection followed by stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Progression rates after partial removal of a meningioma with no radiosurgery or radiation therapy have been reported to be as high as 70% (Condra et al., 1997). ese are supported by reports of a 4 mm mean annual rate of tumor growth after subtotal resection among patients with partially resected petroclival meningiomas (Kirkpatrick et al., 2008). In contrast, Goldsmith et al. (1994) reported a 98% 5-year progression-free survival for patients with incompletely removed meningiomas treated with adjuvant conventionally fractionated external beam radiotherapy (Maire et al., 1995).
