Meningiomas of Meckel's cave

Meningiomas of Meckel's cave are unusual. Forty-six cases of this tumor are described in the literature and two others are reported in this paper. Symptomatology frequently begins with typical or atypical trigeminal neuralgia; when no other signs are associated, diagnosis of the tumor is difficult. Total removal of the tumor results in a complete relief of symptoms, and no other therapy for pain is necessary.     

Meckel's cave meningiomas with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Two patients with Meckel's Cave meningiomas were initially hospitalized as a result of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Four-vessel angiography was necessary to exclude other causes of bleeding while demonstrating these lesions. Apoplectic presentation in both cases led to early diagnosis and successful surgical therapy. A review of the literature reveals subarachnoid hemorrhage to be a rarity in association with meningiomas. The two patients currently reported are believed to be the only examples on record of hemorrhagic meningiomas arising from the region of Meckel's Cave.     

Cavernous hemangioma of Meckel's cave. Case report

A case of a cavernous hemangioma located within Meckel's cave and involving the gasserian ganglion is described in a patient presenting with facial pain and a trigeminal nerve deficit. Although these lesions have been reported to occur in the middle fossa, this is believed to be the first case of such a vascular malformation arising solely from within Meckel's cave.     

Xanthoma in Meckel's cave. A case report

A case of xanthoma located within Meckel's cave and the semilunar ganglion is described in a patient with a trigeminal nerve deficit. This is the first case of xanthoma in such a location. The distinctive morphological appearance is illustrated and the possible histogenesis is discussed.     

Adult peripheral neuroepithelioma in Meckel's cave

A case of peripheral neuroepithelioma arising from the trigeminal nerve in Meckel's cave is presented. The discussion emphasizes the pathological criteria for the diagnosis of a peripheral neuroepithelioma and the current controversy about the classification of this and related tumors.     

Primary Meckel's cave lymphoma. A case and review of the literature]

A rare case of Meckel's cavity lymphoma is presented. Only two other cases of identical localization have been presented in the literature. The symptoms consisted of sensorimotor impairment of the Vth nerve associated with slight exophthalmos. C.T. scan showed a hyperdense lesion in Meckel's cavity. After total surgical removal, histological analysis diagnosed a B-lymphocyte non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient received both radiotherapy and chemotherapy and at one year follow up, the clinical course was good. The lesion had no clinical or radiological specificity. Its prognosis appears to be identical to that of other intracranial lymphomas.     

Lesions in Meckel's cave: variable presentation and pathology

A series of 12 patients with mass lesions arising from Meckel's cave is presented. Patients' age on presentation ranged from 13 months to 71 years. Nine of the 12 patients had symptoms referable to the fifth cranial nerve, but only three complained of facial pain. The 12 patients presented eight different pathological entities, including meningioma, lipoma, schwannoma, malignant melanotic schwannoma, arachnoid cyst, neurofibroma, epidermoid tumor, and chordoma. Computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were most useful in localizing the lesion to Meckel's cave. All 12 patients underwent a subtemporal approach to the lesion, and gross total removal was achieved in 11. Postoperative results were excellent with no increased neurological deficits seen 3 months postoperatively. Most patients had resolution of the cranial nerve deficits except for fifth nerve function, which was impaired in nine patients postoperatively. This series demonstrates that lesions in Meckel's cave can have a varied and unusual presentation, as well as an assortment of pathology. Total removal of lesions in this area resulted in relief of symptoms in most patients, with minimum morbidity.     

Endoscopy of Meckel's cave, cisterna magna, and cerebellopontine angle. Technical note.

A new 1.45-mm endoscope is described that can be inserted through a thin-walled No. 16 needle. The instrument was used in 10 cadavers for endoscopic exploration of the cisterna magna, the C1-2 space, Meckel's cave, and the cerebellopontine angle. Its potential clinical application is discussed.     

Histiocytic tumor of Meckel's cave. An intracranial equivalent of juvenile xanthogranuloma of the skin.

We present the case of a 7-year-old boy who had a solitary mass within Meckel's cave that recurred 6 weeks after the initial resection. The histological, immunohistochemical, electron-microscopical, and molecular genetical features established the lesion's histiocytic nature. Our findings showed that it was closely related to juvenile xanthogranuloma, a benign lesion that usually occurs in the skin but has not yet been histologically confirmed in the brain. The present tumor is different from other intracranial histiocytic and xanthogranulomatous lesions.     

Pressure monitoring inside Meckel's cave during percutaneous microcompression of gasserian ganglion

During percutaneous microcompression of the gasserian ganglion for the relief of trigeminal neuralgia, a computerized technique for monitoring the pressure inside Meckel's cave was employed in 22 patients. A dedicated transducer connected to a computer records the balloon inflation pressure. Its variations are discernible within tenths of a bar and are plotted in relation to time. The intraoperative pressure inside Meckel's cave is from 0.9 to 2.4 bars. When pressure was low, there was recurrence of pain. The highest values of pressure (1.9-2.4 bars) were observed in most of the patients suffering from untoward side effects. The clinical results seem to be influenced by the level of the intraoperative intracavitary pressure.     

The microsurgery of the tumor involving Meckel's cave and nearby area]

A retrospective review of 12 cases of tumor involving Mackel's cave and nearby area seen at the Tongji hospital in a 20-year period. All of the cases may be divided to three clearly defined clinical groups: (1) Patients with typical trigeminal neuralgia. The tumor usually involve the ganglion. After removal the mass the prognosis were excellent. (2) Schwannoma or neurofibrosarcoma embedded in the semilunar ganglion with a history of atypical face pain without neurological deficit. After operation the pain relief was not as good as the group 1. (3) Patients with the history of face dysethesias and pain, tumors usually involving the middle fossa of cranial base with multiple cranial nerve deficit. These patients had variable mass lesions and after removed tumor the prognosis was not as good as in group 1 and group 2. The anatomy of Meckel's cave and surgical technique in treating these tumors were discussed also.     

Meckel's diverticulum.

One hundred and ninety surgically documented cases of Meckel's diverticulum encountered at the Mayo Clinic during a 51-year period, 1920 through 1971, are reviewed. In 39 patients, the diverticulum was left undisturbed. In 51 patients, the diverticulum was the primary surgical disease, and, in 100 patients, the diverticulum was removed incidentally. The clinical features are presented as well as the surgical considerations. Meckel's diverticulum is a relatively frequent development anomaly with eccentric manifestations, and its surgical management has intrigued physicians for over 350 years. Dr. Charles W. Mayo stated, "Meckel's diverticulum is frequently suspected, often looked for, and seldom found."     

Removal of cavernous malformation of the Meckel's cave by extradural pterional approach using Heros muscle dissection technique

Background

We report on a patient with trigeminal neuralgia caused by an extraaxial cavernous malformation (CM) located within Meckel's cave. The lesion was removed via a pterional extradural approach with a modified temporalis muscle dissection technique, which was first described by Heros and Lee. Cadaveric dissections were performed to demonstrate the wider exposure gained by this approach.

Methods

A 56-year-old man presented with a history of episodic shocklike, right-sided facial pain for 10 years. Neurologic examination revealed diminished sensation in the mandibular division of the right trigeminal nerve. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an ipsilateral enhancing lesion in Meckel's cave.

Results

After placement of a lumbar drain, a right extradural pterional approach was undertaken. By reflecting the temporalis muscle posterolaterally, the craniotomy was extended so that the line of sight was level with the floor of the middle fossa. This allowed access to the lesion without needing to remove the zygoma. The lesion was resected with microsurgical technique. The patient's pain improved significantly after resection, and histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of CM.

Conclusions

Extraaxial middle fossa CMs arising solely from Meckel's cave are rare. These lesions are safely and simply approached by posteriorly deflecting the temporalis muscle during a pterional craniotomy, avoiding excessive elevation of the anterior temporal lobe or further bony removal.     

Trigeminal neuralgia in a patient with a dural arteriovenous fistula in Meckel's cave: case report

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Trigeminal neuralgia is often the result of vascular compression at the root entry zone of the trigeminal nerve. We report a case of trigeminal neuralgia in a patient with a dural arteriovenous fistula in Meckel's cave. Endovascular closure of the fistula resulted in elimination of the patient's pain at the gasserian ganglion level. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 77-year-old woman was referred for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia after failed conservative treatment, including multiple gasserian ganglion blocks. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain suggested a vascular lesion, and cerebral angiography demonstrated a dural arteriovenous fistula in Meckel's cave. INTERVENTION: Endovascular coil embolization was performed, with obliteration of the dural arteriovenous fistula and resolution of facial pain but with decreased sensation in the face. CONCLUSION: Trigeminal neuralgia may be associated with complex vascular lesions around the base of the brain and along the course of the trigeminal nerve. The evaluation of patients with trigeminal neuralgia should include high-quality, thin-section, magnetic resonance imaging scans, to exclude the possibility of vascular lesions and other structural lesions. In particular, patients who are being evaluated for surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia should undergo magnetic resonance imaging, with a focus on the course of the trigeminal nerve.     

Giant Meckel's diverticulum.

A case of incomplete intestinal obstruction caused by a giant Meckel's diverticulum in a 13-year-old girl is reported. Short resection of the ileum with the diverticulum and end-to-end anastomosis was carried out. The possibilities of diagnosis and treatment as well as the controversial classification of this rare congenital anomaly are discussed.