Cerebral meningioma during pregnancy mimicking eclampsia: About a rare case

• Published in: International journal of surgery case reports 2023-10, Vol.111, p.108786, Article 108786
• Main Authors: El Abbassi, I., Benaaguida, H., Jalal, M., Lamrissi, A., Bouhya, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Case Report; Cerebral meningioma; Pregnancy; Surgery
• ISSN: 2210-2612; 2210-2612
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2023.108786

Pregnancy is a physiological state whose association with any pathology gives it specific characteristics in the management of patients. Meningioma is the most frequent brain tumor but rarely develops during pregnancy. Treatment of the tumor generally follows the same principle as that proposed outside pregnancy, with priority given to the mother's life. We report a rare case of gestational meningioma that was wrongly attributed to prepartum eclampsia, in a poorly monitored pregnancy estimated at 34 weeks' amenorrhea, which resulted in the termination of the pregnancy by cesarean section for maternal rescue. The patient underwent complete surgical removal of the tumor postpartum. Cerebral meningioma in pregnancy is a rare but often fatal disease characterized by unusual behavior compared to meningiomas in non-pregnant women. It is suspected that endocrine and vascular changes play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of rapid tumor growth during pregnancy. The tumor's harmful effect on the fetus is not direct but is mediated by its consequences, such as intracranial hypertension and epileptic seizures, which can be life-threatening for both mother and fetus and in some cases necessitate termination of pregnancy. The management of cerebral meningioma during pregnancy must take into account the gestational-fetal pairing, both in diagnosis and treatment. This requires close coordination and collaboration between various experts, including anesthetists, obstetricians, neurosurgeons, and pediatricians. •The occurrence of cerebral meningioma during pregnancy is rare and presents a challenge to both obstetricians and neurosurgeons.•Frequent headaches and epileptic seizures are wrongly attributed to eclampsia, delaying or even misdiagnosing the condition.•Pregnancy is an aggravating factor in cerebral meningiomas.•On the other hand, cerebral meningiomas have no direct adverse effect on the course of pregnancy.