Visual outcome after surgery for cavernous sinus meningioma

Background. Extension of cavernous sinus meningiomas can compromise vision by compressing the optic nerves and chiasm. Surgical tumour removal aims to protect vision in the long-term. However, the risks of surgery include transient or permanent damage to the anterior visual pathways. This study aims to 1) analyse the visual status in unilateral cavernous sinus meningioma with extra-cavernous extension, before and after removal of the extra-cavernous portion, without any adjuvant treatment with radiotherapy, 2) identify pre-surgical and early post-surgical prognostic factors for long-term visual outcome and 3) compare these results to previous studies. Methods. This is a retrospective study of 30 consecutive patients who underwent surgery between 1989 and 2004. Visual acuity, visual fields, and fundi were evaluated before surgery and during the mean follow-up period of 2 years. Findings. Total visual loss occurred in the ipsilateral eye following surgery in 10% of patients. There was improvement in vision in 23%, no significant change in 27% and worsening in 50% of patients. Pre-surgical visual acuity was not predictive of final visual outcome, but initial optic disc pallor was a poor prognostic factor. In pre-operatively normal contralateral eyes, 10% developed a mild visual deficit (visual acuity = 20/32 or better, and visual field defect <= 4 dB) post-operatively. Where vision in the contralateral eye was affected pre-operatively, 57% improved and 43% were unchanged. Overall, 93% of patients retained good visual function (mild or no visual deficit) in at least one eye, and 40% retained good visual function in both eyes after surgery. Conclusion. Visual handicap is rare after conservative surgery for cavernous sinus meningioma with supra/laterosellar extension. Since surgery protects contralateral visual pathways from local compression, it may preserve long-term vision in the contralateral eye. Visual outcome in the ipsilateral eye is unpredictable, and may significantly worsen after surgery.