Meningioma surgery

[medicalmom]

My son was diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor on Saturday, confirmed with CT scan and MRI plus another CT scan.  Surface tumor the size of a golf ball, no bleeding on the brain, no cancer noticed.  Swelling and inflammation being treated with steroids and given seizure medication because he had a mild seizure Saturday night.  Incontinence, fatigue, headaches, arm tremors in the night preceded the diagnosis.  How should we question the surgeon before agreeing to surgery with this particular doctor? His credentials say he has been a neurologist for 9 years and does not list brain surgery as a specialty.  He is part of the only neurological clinic in the area.  How do we know we can trust his diagnosis and what questions should we ask next week when he goes over all the test results and gives his recommendation?  Should he also be told my son had a congenital cataract that was removed when he was 12 years old?  A lens implant is due for replacement in the next five years.


This discussion is related to meningioma: surgery required????.

[PaulMD]

Hi there.

Any information should not be withheld from your doctor and you should tell them anything.  A neurologist does not perform brain surgery.  It is most likely that he will refer you to a neurosurgeon specialist to do the operation.

A meningioma has very typical CT-scan findings and can be diagnosed with confidence by the neurologist.

Once you get to meet the neurosurgeon, you should ask about the possible complications of the surgery, and the chance of success.

Regards.