• Chao Wang, Guoqiang Han, Chao You, Chuangxi Liu, Jun Wang, and Yunbiao Xiong.
• Department of Neurosurgery of GuiZhou, Provincial People's Hospital, GuiZhou - 550 002, People's Republic of China.
• Neurol India. 2013 Jul 1; 61 (4): 400-5.

Background And AimIntracranial arachnoid cysts (IAC) are benign congenital cystic lesions filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This study evaluated microsurgical craniotomy and endoscopy in the surgical treatment of IAC.Materials And MethodsEight-one consecutive pediatric patients with IAC were surgically treated between January 2004 and January 2011. The surgical procedures included microsurgical craniotomy and endoscopy. Symptoms at presentation, location of IAC, surgical treatment options, and effectiveness were evaluated.ResultsThere were 43 males and 38 females and the mean age was 8.7 years (range between 1 month and 14 years) at the time of surgery. The cyst location was supratentorial in 72 patients and infratentorial in 9 patients, arachnoid cyst were identified. Follow-up period ranged between 2 and 8 years. Of the 49 patients with headache 83.67% of patients had cure and 10.2% had significant improvement. Of the eight patients with hydrocephalus and gait disturbances, six (75%) had complete total relief of symptoms and two (25%) patients had significant improvement. Four of the six patients with cognitive decline and weakness showed improvement. Of the 18 patients with epilepsy seizure freedom was: Engle class I grade I in 14 (77.78%) patients; class II in 2 (11.11%) patients; and class III in 2 (11.11%) patients. Follow-up studies from 2 to 8 years showed that headache was cured in 41 of the 49 cases (83.67%), significantly improved in 5 cases (10.20%), and showed no variation in 3 cases (6.12%). Hydrocephalus and gait disturbances were controlled in six of the eight cases (75.00%) and significantly improved in two cases (25.00%). Cognitive decline and weakness were obviously improved in four of the six cases (66.67%) and exhibited no variation in two cases (33.33%). According to the Engle standard, the following results were obtained from 18 patients with epilepsy: Grade I in 14 cases (77.78%); grade II in 2 cases (11.11%); and grade III in 2 cases (11.11%). Eleven cases with local or general enlarged skull exhibited no further progression. On follow-up computed tomography (CT) scan, there was variable alleviation of mass effect in all the 81 patients. Cystic size was significantly reduced in 65 patients with supratentorial arachnoid cysts and in 9 patients with infratentorial archnoid cysts. Twenty-one patients who had decreased skull thickness, had no further progression. Four patients who had cranioplasty had good outcome.ConclusionThe endoscopic approach was highly effective for most cases of IAC, particularly for cysts in the suprasellar and quadrigeminal regions as well as in the posterior fossa. Microsurgical craniotomy was recommended for IAC in the extracerebral convexity and intracerebrum. Local skull cranioplasty is needed for patients, or patients with preoperative diagnosis showed signs of cystic tumor and cyst-related epilepsy.

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