Current and emerging principles in surgery for meningioma

Surgical treatment for meningioma is nearly as old as contemporary neurosurgery itself and rests upon a keen understanding of the goals of surgery, meningioma growth patterns and biological behavior, and the advantages and limitations of available surgical techniques. As an extraaxial tumor, or one that arises from outside of the brain, meningiomas typically cause symptoms through mass effect and compression, associated peritumoral edema, and involvement of neurovascular structures. Surgical treatment of meningioma is geared towards cure when possible and long-term disease control, with preservation of neurologic function.