Second-look surgery in postoperative pediatric low-grade glioma.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on second-look surgery in pediatric low-grade gliomas (LGG) with a view to presenting both sides of the picture of re-exploration. METHODS: Collection of material from recent literature on pediatric LGG. This was a retrospective review of these publications. RESULTS: There are a number of publications recommending second-look surgery in selected cases, provided morbidity of the second surgery is minimum, and indeed some in which there is improvement in the neurodeficit after the second resection. CONCLUSION: There seems a fair balance of articles recommending and dissuading the practice of second-look surgery, but in our limited experience we have found it useful in selected patients.