Introduction: Postoperative residual tumor can occur for intentional or unintentional reasons. Decision-making regarding second-look surgery has to weigh molecular biology, probability of total resection and prognostic relevance against potential additional morbidity. In interdisciplinary tumor boards the neurosurgeon has to estimate risk and efficacy of second-look surgery in individual cases, based on precise data.
Research question: Aim of this study was to provide such data by analyzing morbidity and volumetric efficacy of second-look surgery at a designated pediatric neuro-oncology unit.
Material and methods: Children who received second-look surgery in 2007-2018 after incomplete resections were analyzed retrospectively. Measurements were performed on early postoperative magnetic resonance imaging, comparing axial diameter-based measurement as well as computer-assisted volumetric analysis.
Results: 59 patients (37% of the overall cohort; 21 female; mean age: 8 ± 5 years) received a subtotal (n = 35) or near total (n = 24) resection. After interdisciplinary case review, 12 of these patients received second-look surgery mainly for residual ependymoma. This led to further tumor volume reduction in all cases (new degrees of resection: subtotal = 2, near total = 6, gross total = 4). No new permanent morbidity or perioperative mortality was observed.
Discussion and conclusion: Second-look surgery did not increase mortality and permanent morbidity, had an 8% rate of transient morbidity and achieved tumor volume reduction above 95% in 75% of selected cases, with 4 additional gross total resections. Second-look surgery is safe and effective with regard to volumetric outcome parameters even in cases with good initial resections, although the role of second-look surgery regarding oncological outcome has to be further investigated in times of personalized molecular medicine.
Keywords: Children; Neuro-oncology; Residual tumor; Volumetric analysis.
© 2022 The Authors.