A Clinical Analysis of Brain Tumors in Children

ABSTRACT

The authors performed a clinical analysis of 80 cases of pediatric brain tumors which were verified by surgical operation during 10 years from Sept. 1978 to Aug. 1987 in the Department of Neurosurgery, Korea University, Seoul, Korea. These tumors were divided according to modified WHO classification. The results were as follows: 1) The male to female ratio was 1.42:1. 2) The most common pediatric brain tumor was gliomas(48.7%), and followed by medulloblastome(17.5%), germ cell tumor(7.5%), craniopharyngioma(6.2%), meningioma(5.0%). 3) Supratentorial tumors(57.5%) were more frequent than infratentorial tumors(42.5%). 4) Headache and vomiting were the most common presenting symptoms and papilledema was the most common sign. 5) Hydrocephalus was developed at supratentorial(58.7%) and infratentorial(73.5%) region. 6) Postoperative mortality was 7%.