The authors report preliminary experiences with preoperative embolization of intracranial meningiomas describing the technique using a specially prepared gelfoam as embolizing material. Embolization was done in 3 cases, in 2 of them transient facial nerve paresis appeared as complication. The effectiveness of embolization was assessed by means of selective control intraoperative angiography and histological examination. In the conclusions the authors stress the effectiveness of preoperative embolization for reducing intraoperative bleeding and indicate the usefulness of the procedure in selected cases of other brain tumours.