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.