Volumetric stereotactic surgical resection of intra-axial brain mass lesions.

From August 1984 to August 1987 at the Mayo Clinic, 226 computer-assisted stereotactic resections based on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (or both) were performed on 203 supratentorial and 23 infratentorial lesions in various deep-seated or essential brain locations. Histologic examination revealed 112 glial neoplasms, 70 nonglial tumors, and 44 nonneoplastic lesions. The overall morbidity was 9.3% (21 of 226 patients were worse after the procedure), and the 30-day operative mortality was 1% (2 patients). The procedure provides maximal cytoreduction in high-grade glial neoplasms but is most beneficial to patients who have histologically circumscribed tumors, such as pilocytic astrocytomas, metastatic neoplasms, and miscellaneous nonglial and nonneoplastic lesions.