Successful removal of a brain tumour from a cat
When Thomas the cat first came to the Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH), he had only been lethargic and wobbly for a couple of days, so it was an unpleasant surprise when an MRI revealed a large brain tumour (red arrow):
Prior to the surgery, careful examinations revealed that Thomas had neurological abnormalities such as compulsive circling and reduced visual responses. Fortunately, the SATH has the highly-trained staff on hand to surgically remove brain tumours. Professor Tim Bentley led the surgery, assisted by neurology / neurosurgery resident Frances Norona. The tumour was completely removed without any complications. Post-operative CT confirmed that the tumour had been fully resected. A metal plate (red arrow) has been used to replace the overlying skull:
Soon after surgery, Thomas was neurologically normal, and he could be discharged to go home.
Biopsy (histopathology) confirmed the working diagnosis of meningioma. A meningioma is the most common brain tumour seen in cats, and is often benign. As few as 7% of cats suffer from a recurrence following surgery for meningioma, so Thomas has an excellent prognosis!
Three weeks after surgery, Thomas came back in for his post-operative examination, and he was still in good health. His neurological examination was still normal, and he was approved to resume normal activities!
