Endoscopy of Intracranial Cysts in the Adult Patient

Abstract

In this study we report about our experience in surgical therapy of patients with intracranial supratentorial cysts. The main interest herein lies in the difference between conventional surgery and the endoscopic approach. Since 1997 in the Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin 4 male and 4 female patients with intracranial cysts aged between 21 and 66 have been treated surgically. The intracranial endoscopy was performed in 6 patients. The initially complained, mostly unspecific, symptoms diminished post operatively and in the follow-up. As complications a transient hemiparesis and an aseptic bone necrosis have to be mentioned, the latter after use of conventional surgery. In clear diagnostic cases an operation of intracranial cysts seems appropriate. Both surgical methods, open and endoscopic approach, are appropriate. To avoid complications due to greater surgical wounds the endoscopic method should be preferred.

Location, sidedness, and sex distribution of intracranial arachnoid cysts in a population-based sample

“…These reports are based on either a subgroup of patients with a distinct intracranial localization or age distribution, 4,[9][10][11][16][17][18][22][23][24]26,33,39,43,[48][49][50][51]54,56,58,64,68,70,71,74,75,78,80,90 a relatively small number of patients, 15,19,25,31,32,45,52,55,60,62,72,76,77,89 or the inclusion of patients from before the computerized imaging era. 21,66,67 Furthermore, in most reports there is no information on whether the study is population based.…”

Endoscopic cystoventriculostomy for treatment of paraxial arachnoid cysts

“…3,6,22,26,27,31,38 Reports on endoscopic treatment of arachnoid cysts appear to be significantly more frequent in the current literature than reports on open microsurgical techniques. 9,[11][12][13][17][18][19][20][21]23,24,[36][37][38][39][40][41] Nevertheless, a large number of neurosurgeons still perform microsurgical procedures or even shunt placement for the treatment of these cysts. This is probably particularly true in cases involving arachnoid cysts in the middle fossa close to the basal cisterns (the most frequent location), 42 which can be easily accessed and treated by endoscopic or open microsurgical cystocisternostomy.…”

“…In the last decade, endoscopic techniques have often been particularly favored as less invasive procedures, and reports on successful endoscopic techniques have been very frequent. 3,4,6,9,[11][12][13]15,[17][18][19][20][23][24][25]29,[31][32][33][34][36][37][38][39][40][41] Although endoscopic cystocisternostomies to the basal cisterns as well as endoscopic ventriculocystostomies of intra-or paraventricular cysts have frequently been addressed, 6,9,11,12,15,23,24,30,33,38 to date there have been no reports on endoscopic cystoventriculostomy for paraxial arachnoid cysts without contact to the basal cisterns. Here the authors present their experience with 12 such procedures over a 15-year period.…”

Neuronavigation-Assisted Endoscopic Unilateral Cyst Fenestration for Treatment of Symptomatic Septum Pellucidum Cysts

“…16 The endoscopic technique has been used in some cases of septum pellucidum cysts to date. 11,[14][15][16][17][18] The application of endoscopes in neurosurgery improved the successful and atraumatic operative treatment of deep-seated intraventricular lesions. 19 Additionally, endoscope-assisted microsurgery provided a high rate of efficiency in terms of relieving symp-toms.…”