Brain Tumours

Primary brain neoplasms can be benign or malignant. Primary neoplasms can originate from the brain parenchyma (intrinsic), meninges, cranial nerves, pituitary gland, choroid plexus, and from the ventricles. Primary malignant brain tumours have an annual global age-standardized incidence of 3.7/100,000 for men and 2.6/100,000 for women, with mortality rates of 2.8 per 100,000 for men and 2.0 per 100,000 for women. Common intracranial malignant tumours are glioma, ependymoma, medulloblastoma, and secondary metastatic tumours, whereas common benign tumours are meningioma, schwannoma, and sellar and suprasellar tumours. Clinical presentation depends on site, size, and on the age of the patient. The most common presentations include headache, seizure, features of raised ICP, and focal neuro-deficit/s. A CT scan and an MRI of the head with contrast are enough for diagnosing most brain tumours. Surgery is the primary modality of management. Surgical approaches differ according to size, site, age, nature of neoplasm, and operator experience and expertise as well. Prognosis depends on histological type, extent of resection, and postoperative therapy (where needed) as well. In this chapter, we will briefly discuss the surgical management of the most common brain tumours.