Being told you have a brain tumour is a devastating occurrence. But the knock-on effects can also be life-changing and need to be monitored.
What is a meningioma?
A meningioma is a type of brain tumour that emerges from the ‘meninges’, a layer of tissue that lies inside the bone of the skull and protects the brain and spinal cord.
Approximately 30% of primary brain tumours in the UK are meningiomas, with most of those being benign (non-cancerous). The elderly and women are more susceptible to developing meningiomas.
Meningiomas are graded by medical practitioners to identify their likely speed of growth and chance of recurrence after surgery. Grade I meningiomas are slow-growing and least likely to re-grow, whereas Grade III meningiomas are most likely to re-grow. The chances of re-growth are also reduced where surgery has succeeded in removing the entirety of the tumour.
Are meningiomas dangerous?
Although it is rare for a meningioma to be malignant (spreading to other parts of the body), the tumour can still cause problems for the patient due to its growth. This can create pressure on other parts of the brain, leading to a range of additional problems and even death.
What are the symptoms of a meningioma?
The symptoms caused by a meningioma can depend on where in the brain the tumour is located and the extent of growth. However, they can include:
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Fits
- Weakness in limbs
- Confusion
A CT or MRI scan is likely to be necessary to check the cause of these symptoms.
What treatment should be given for a meningioma?
Treatment for a meningioma will depend on where it is located and its grade.
Where the meningioma is small and slow-growing, it may not require treatment at all. Nonetheless, the patient will require regular scans to monitor the development of the tumour to ensure that treatment is offered when and if it becomes necessary.
Surgery is frequently used to remove a meningioma, with the possible addition of radiotherapy to ensure all damaged cells are removed. Again, on-going scans will be necessary for signs of re-growth.
If surgery is not possible due to location, radiotherapy may be used to destroy the cells of the tumour.
Why could a meningioma cause blindness?
The meningioma in itself will not cause loss of vision but the impact of the meningioma on surrounding tissue and nerves can have a significant effect.
A meningioma can develop in several different areas of the brain, some of which can impact on the eye or optic nerve.
- Olfactory Groove meningiomas develop along the nerves between the nose and the brain. If the meningioma is allowed to grow, it can compress the optic nerves, causing visual problems.
- Meningiomas on the optic nerve can lead to loss of areas in the field of vision and blindness
- Intraorbital meningiomas which grow around the eye socket can cause pressure on the eye and lead to increasing loss of vision
- A suprasellar meningioma grows near the pituitary gland, close to where the optic nerves intersect and can put pressure on and damage these nerves
What are the symptoms to be aware of?
When a meningioma has started to put pressure on the optic nerve or eye, the patient may begin to experience a range of symptoms.
- Loss of patches in the field of vision (blind spots)
- Double vision
- Reduced clarity of vision
Where these symptoms cannot be explained by a defect in the eye itself, then it should be considered that there may be pressure on the optic nerve due to a meningioma.
Where the patient has already experienced a meningioma, it should be considered that re-growth may have occurred and is causing the visual problems.
Medical Negligence
Where visual or ocular damage has been caused due to a missed meningioma, the patient may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Loss of sight will have a dramatic and negative impact on many areas of life and compensation can help to deal with the associated problems and additional help which may be necessary.
Free Enquiry
If you believe that you have experienced significant negative impacts following problems with your gallbladder surgery that might be attributable to medical negligence, contact us at Glynns Solicitors to discuss your case.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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