Meningioma--the Sarawak General Hospital experience

The aim of this study was to determine the factors for the large size of intracranial meningiomas at the time of presentation to the Sarawak General Hospital. The data was collected prospectively from 1/3/2000 to 28/2/2001. During this period a total of 57 cases of intracranial tumours were operated upon. Twenty of these cases (35%) were meningioma, making meningioma the most common intracranial tumour operated in the Neurosurgery service here with one to two cases operated per month. Headache was the most common symptom. The average duration of symptoms before the diagnosis was made was twenty-five months, the longest being fifteen years. The patients needed an average of seven visits prior to the diagnosis.