Multimodal imaging guided stereotactic biopsy and simultaneous ventriculoperitoneal shunt for thalamic gliomas

Objective To investigate the operation strategy and advantages of multimodal imaging guided stereotactic biopsy and simultaneous ventriculoperitoneal shunt for thalamic gliomas.Methods Thirty-seven patients with thalamic gliomas,admitted to our hospital from April 2008 to September 2013,were chosen in our study; 15 of them were performed multimodal imaging guided stereotactic biopsy and simultaneous ventriculoperitoneal shunt and 22 were only performed stereotactic biopsy; their clinical data and clinical efficacy were compared.Results All patients were confirmed as having gliomas by intraoperative frozen section and postoperative regular pathologic results.Hydrocephalus was significantly relieved in the patients underwent stereotactic ventriculoperitoneal shunt,without aggravation after operation or radiotherapy.However,the other 22 patients without ventriculoperitoneal shunt developed different degrees of hydrocephalus due to tumor enlarging or edema after radiotherapy.Cumulative relative survival (CRS) over 2 years of the simple biopsy group and the biopsy plus simultaneous ventriculoperitoneal shunt group was 31.3％ and 69.2％,respectively,with statistically significant difference (P＜0.05).Conclusions Multimodal imaging guided stereotactic multiple targets biopsy can make a definite diagnosis ofgliomas located (or its main body) in thalamus.When being combined with stereotactic ventriculoperitoneal shunt accurately via bilateral anterior horn of lateral ventricle,relief of hydrocephalus and prolong postoperative median survival time can be achieved. Key words: Thalamus;  Glioma;  Stereotaxis;  Biopsy;  Ventriculoperitoneal shunt