[Hemangioblastomas of the posterior fossa: Report of 16 cases and literature review].

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to describe the results of 16 patients with posterior fossa hemangioblastoma, treated with microsurgical techniques.

METHODS

Between June 2005 and December 2015, 16 patients with posterior fossa hemangioblastoma were operated on, underwent microsurgical resection. The sex, age, imaging findings, symptoms, and postoperative results were analyzed.

RESULTS

Eleven patients were men and 5 were women. The average age of the patients was 44 years. The most common form was cystic with nodule (57%); in 31% of the cases the lesion was purely solid. One case (6%) showed a lesion purely cystic, and one case was solid-cystic (6%). The major presenting symptoms were headache and cerebellar syndrome (43%); in 25% of the cases the patients suffered intracranial hypertension syndrome. The total resection was achieved in all the cases; in one patient an embolization was performed before surgery. Regarding postoperative complications: two patients developed ataxia (improved after three months), 1 patient presented a CSF leak (improve with an external spinal drainage). In addition, one patient died because postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The major features in patients with posterior fossa hemangioblastoma are a cystic with nodule form, presenting symptoms of headache and cerebellar syndrome. The total resection is possible, with a low morbi-mortality rate.