Anatomy-Guided Microsurgical Resection of a Dominant Frontal Lobe Tumor Without Intraoperative Adjuncts: A Case Report from a Resource-Limited Context.

Background

Glioblastoma (GBM), IDH-wildtype, is one of the most aggressive primary brain malignancies, and maximal safe resection is consistently recognized as a significant prognostic factor. Intraoperative adjuncts including functional mapping, neuronavigation, and fluorescence-guidance are not always present in many centers around the world. The aim is not to suggest equivalence to adjunct-assisted resections, but rather to illustrate the feasibility of anatomy-guided surgery in carefully selected cases and to contribute to the broader discussion on safe operative strategies in resource-limited environments.

Methods

We present the case of a 54-year-old right-handed male who presented with progressive non-fluent aphasia, seizures, and signs of intracranial hypertension. Pre-operative MRI showed a heterogeneously hyperintense, frontobasal intra-axial mass involving the dominant inferior frontal gyrus, extending toward the corpus callosum and orbitofrontal cortex, and early subfalcine shift. Surgery was performed via a left frontobasal craniotomy, using subpial dissection and cortical-sulcal anatomical landmarks while aiming to preserve eloquent subcortical tracts (frontal aslant tract, superior longitudinal fasciculus). Nueronavigation, functional mapping or fluorescence was not used. We defined our outcomes by the extent of resection, functional preservation, and early radiological stability.

Results

The procedure achieved a subtotal-near-total resection (>95% estimated volume) while maintaining functional motor function from prior to surgery and the patient's baseline expressive aphasia, with no new neurological deficits. Early post-operative CT showed decompression of the resection cavity without hemorrhage or shift. At three months post-operative, CT showed stability of the cavity and resolution of the most perilesional edema with no evidence of recurrence. Clinically, the patient showed gradual improvement in verbal fluency, he remained seizure free, and maintained independence, which allowed for timeliness of the initiation of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Conclusions

We intend for the case to illustrate that, in selected dominant frontal GBM, following microsurgical anatomical principles closely may provide a high extent of resection with the preservation of function, even without advanced intraoperative adjuncts. We hope that our experience may support our colleagues who practice in resource-limited settings and contribute to our shared goal of both oncological outcomes and the quality of life of our patients.