Brain Stem Surgery
Surgical intervention is possible for certain types of brainstem gliomas. If the brainstem glioma is in the tectum of the midbrain, the tumor is usually slow growing and shows up first as hydrocephalus.
Hydrocephalus is relieved by the positioning of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), or ventricular shunt. A type of brainstem glioma that develops backwards out of the brainstem (called exophytic dorsal gliomas) is often a good candidate for surgical resection. In such cases it is possible to remove at least one portion of the tumor.