Diffuse infiltrative pontine glioma biopsy in children with neuronavigation, frameless procedure: A single center experience of 10 cases

Introduction. - This study presented pediatric DIPG's biopsy with frameless Neuronavigation. Patients and methods. - We report our experience about 10 patients who had Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma between 2014 and 2018. All patients were biopsied with BrainLab Varioguide Neuronavigation (R). We always used fusion between specific CT Scan and MRI to selected target, made planning and biopsies. All patients were included in BIOMEDE after scientific and ethic discussions. We always selected a trans-cerebellar trajectory and made same procedure (lot of biopsies at one level). All patients have MRI at J1 to verify site of biopsy and to eliminate complication. Results. - The average age was 8.1 years. Symptoms were common with principally headaches and nystagmus. All biopsies were contributive for histopathological diagnosis and establish molecular profile for molecular study. We have no definitive morbidity and procedure duration was 93 minutes in average. All MRI didn't showed intracranial complication after procedure and showed great precision of biopsy compared with the selected target. Discussion. - We reviewed the literature and compare our results with series of DIPG biopsies using stereotactic frame or robotic assisted frameless. It was a safe, accuracy and easiness procedure. We always have histopathological and molecular result to proceed next step of treatment. This modality is an alternative possibility to biopsy very young patients with low morbidity. (C) 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.