Objectives Surgical treatment of meningioma is frequently accompanied by significant intraoperative blood loss and the associated risks of blood transfusion. Surgical adjuncts such as pre-operative embolisation and the use of tranexamic acid have attendant risks. An ability to estimate blood loss can appropriately target these interventions.

Design Retrospective study

Subjects Patients following surgery for meningioma between 2015–2018

Methods Intraoperative blood loss, pre- to post-operative haemoglobin difference and blood transfusion were evaluated. Pre-operative imaging included size, shape and location of meningioma, involvement of sinuses and blood vessels, T1 and T2 weighted characteristics, restricted diffusion, peritumoral oedema, dural tail and hyperostosis. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the relationship between meningioma characteristics and blood loss.

Results Tumour diameter and venous sinus opening were significantly related to blood loss on multivariate analysis (p=0.004 and p=0.001 respectively). Furthermore, on univariate analysis additional factors included procedure duration (p<0.0001), pre-operative radiotherapy (p=0.042) and pre-operative platelet count (p=0.03).

Conclusions Only size of tumour and opening venous sinuses was related to intraoperative bloods loss in this cohort of patients. Further research is required to define tumour characteristics that can be used to identify patients suitable for pre- and intra-operative adjunct therapies.