Intracranial arachnoid cyst with subdural hematoma

A case of a middle fossa arachnoid cyst associated with a post-traumatic subdural hematoma is reported, where the inner membrane of the hematoma did not entirely cover the cyst surface. At operation a third cavity was detected between the arachnoid cyst and the hematoma and it is postulated that the subdural hematoma was consequent to the developmental anomaly. We have reviewed 72 cases in the literature and discuss the management of subdural hematoma in the presence of arachnoid cysts.     

Treatment of symptomatic interhemispheric arachnoid cysts by cystoperitoneal shunting

Arachnoid cysts (AC) located within the interhemispheric fissure are rare, frequently associated with agenesis or hypogenesis of the corpus callosum. The optimal method for surgical treatment is under debate. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical results of seven infants (five males, two females; mean age, 5.1 months) with large interhemispheric AC who underwent cystoperitoneal shunting (CP) and evaluated the long-term efficacy in terms of clinical data, psychomotor development and neuroimaging. All patients were symptomatic and operated on before they reached 1 year of age. In three patients, additional ventricular catheters were inserted due to concomitant hydrocephalus. The additional catheters were joined with the cyst catheters and the peritoneal catheters with Y-shaped connectors in the same session. The patients were followed up for an average of 57 months (range 24–120 months). The clinical and developmental outcome was good in most patients with complete resolution of symptoms and signs. The developmental outcome scale, which included cognitive and psychomotor development, was “good” (normal) or “fair” (near normal) for six of seven patients. Radiologically, the cyst was completely or nearly totally resolved in five patients, and partially resolved in two. In these symptomatic patients with interhemispheric AC, CP shunting provided favorable treatment outcomes with complete or near-total resolution of symptoms and reduction in cyst size or disappearance of the cyst.     

症状性颅内蛛网膜囊肿的临床治疗分析

目的 探讨症状性颅内蛛网膜囊肿(IAC)的手术治疗方法、适应证及其治疗效果.方法 回顾性分析南通大学附属医院神经外科自2000年1月至2010年1月收治的32例IAC患者临床资料,总结其手术方法及疗效. 结果 本组2例保守治疗的患者失随访.随访结束时,23例(72％)患者症状明显改善(囊肿体积缩小或临床症状缓解),6例(18％)患者症状无改变(临床症状和囊肿大小无改变),1例(3.1％)巨大鞍区-鞍上区IAC患者症状加重(临床症状恶化或囊肿增大);术后影像学检查显示囊肿消失4例(12.5％),囊肿缩小16例(50％),囊肿大小无改变12例(37.5％). 结论 IAC的主要手术适应证是颅内高压、确切的神经系统损害、脑组织压迫.显微外科手术以及神经内镜是治疗IAC的有效方法.     

Anterior cervical arachnoid cyst presenting with traumatic quadriplegia

Introduction Intradural spinal arachnoid cysts are rare. Rarer still are cysts located anterior to the cervical spinal cord. To date, only 10 such cases have been reported in the English-language literature.Case report Two cases of anterior cervical arachnoid cysts that presented as traumatic quadriplegia are reported.     

Growth disturbance of frontal lobe in BCECTS presenting with frontal dysfunction

A considerable proportion of children with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS) have increasingly been found to show neuropsychiatric deficits such as cognitive impairment and impulsivity, possibly associated with frontal lobe dysfunctions. We performed 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based brain volumetry to characterize serial changes in frontal and prefrontal lobe volumes and compare volumetric changes with clinical symptoms. Serial changes in regional cerebral volumes were measured in a 5-year-old boy with BCECTS. Seizures were not easily controlled, and he demonstrated oromotor deficits, cognitive impairments and behavioral problems. Cognitive and behavioral deficits persisted even after remission of seizure disorder and oromotor deficits. Two BCECTS patients (5–6 years old) without neuropsychological disorders served as typical BCECTS, and nine normal subjects (4–10 years old) served as controls. Volumes of the frontal and prefrontal lobes were determined using a workstation, and prefrontal to frontal lobe volume ratio was calculated. Frontal and prefrontal lobe volumes showed no growth even after remission of seizure disorders. Prefrontal to frontal lobe volume ratio reduced slightly even after remission of both seizure disorders and EEG abnormalities. The result suggests that BCECTS presenting with atypical course may be associated with frontal lobe dysfunction resulting in cognitive and behavioral deficits.     

Proteus syndrome with syringohydromyelia and arachnoid cyst

Introduction

Proteus syndrome (PS) is a rarely seen, sporadic disorder with a wide range of abnormalities including asymmetrical overgrowth, skin lesions, dysregulated adipose tissue, and vascular malformations. Brain and spinal malformations are extremely rare; syringohydromyelia and arachnoid cyst have not been reported previously.

Materials and methods

We present a 5-year-old girl with PS having severe central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including craniocutaneous lipomatosis, hemimegalencephaly, arachnoid cyst, and syringohydromyelia.

     

Proteus syndrome with syringohydromyelia and arachnoid cyst

Introduction Proteus syndrome (PS) is a rarely seen, sporadic disorder with a wide range of abnormalities including asymmetrical overgrowth, skin lesions, dysregulated adipose tissue, and vascular malformations. Brain and spinal malformations are extremely rare; syringohydromyelia and arachnoid cyst have not been reported previously. Materials and methods We present a 5-year-old girl with PS having severe central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including craniocutaneous lipomatosis, hemimegalencephaly, arachnoid cyst, and syringohydromyelia. A commentary on this paper is available at doi: .     

颞叶蛛网膜囊肿继发癫痫的外科治疗

目的：探讨颞叶蛛网膜囊肿继发癫痫的临床特点及手术治疗效果。方法所有患者均以癫痫发作起病,其中蛛网膜囊肿在左颞有12例,右颞有13例。应用皮层脑电监测对这些患者行手术治疗,术后随访1年以上观察手术的疗效。结果所有患者在切除蛛网膜囊肿后皮层脑电图监测均见颞叶皮层有异常放电,其中15例患者加行了前颞叶切除术（包括大部分海马及杏仁核）,另外10例加行皮层热灼术。术后随访发现囊肿消失18例,囊肿明显减小7例。癫痫发作随访发现Engel Ⅰ级13例,Ⅱ级9例,Ⅲ级2例,Ⅳ级1例,手术总有效率88％。结论对于颞叶蛛网膜囊肿继发癫痫的患者,在手术切除蛛网膜囊肿的同时,应在皮层脑电图监测将癫痫灶一并切除,且手术治疗的效果较理想。     

Rare frontal lobe intraparenchymal epidermoid cyst with atypical imaging

Epidermoid cysts are slow-growing benign tumors derived from ectodermal tissue that are hypothesized to have been inwardly displaced from the ectodermal surfaces during embryologic development. These cysts represent 1% to 2% of all intracranial tumors, and occur most commonly in the cerebellopontine angle, parasellar region, and subarachnoid spaces of the basal cisterns. Epidermoid cysts that are exclusively intraparenchymal are very rare, and can be difficult to diagnose as they often do not have classic radiologic findings, and share many similar radiologic features to other tumors such as astrocytomas, arachnoid cysts, dermoid cysts, and cavernomas. The authors present a patient with a rare intraparenchymal epidermoid cyst of the frontal lobe with atypical imaging features.     

Twins with different temporal lobe malformations: schizencephaly and arachnoid cyst

The etiology and relationships between different forms of malformations of cortical development are poorly understood. Schizencephaly is generally regarded as unrelated to arachnoid cysts. As part of a systematic study of epilepsy in twins we observed a monozygotic twin pair discordant for temporal lobe epilepsy where the twin with epilepsy had unilateral temporal schizencephaly and periventricular heterotopia. The twin without epilepsy had an arachnoid cyst in the same temporal lobe. Although an incidental association is possible, this observation, together with occasional reports of schizencephaly and arachnoid cysts within one individual, suggests a shared pathogenic mechanism. Schizencephaly can be caused by both genetic and acquired factors. We propose that our observations in this twin pair are best explained by a genetic factor present in both twins, with an additional environmental insult resulting in schizencephaly in only one of the pair.     

Herpes simplex encephalitis presenting with exclusively frontal lobe involvement

The authors report a patient with herpes simplex encephalitis who presented with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions exclusively in the frontal lobes, including the bilateral anterior cingulate gyri. She is making a good recovery after therapy with intravenous acyclovir. A similar presentation with a fatal outcome was previously reported by Rose et al (Neurology 42: 1809-1812, 1992). MRI shows temporal lesions in most patients with herpes simplex encephalitis, whereas occasional patients have normal imaging. A high index of suspicion for the diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis should be maintained when a patient presents with fever and brain lesions involving extratemporal limbic system structures.     

Intracranial arachnoid cyst associated with subdural hygroma: report of a case

A case of a 10-year-old boy with a congenital arachnoid cyst in the right middle cranial fossa is reported. The symptoms were precipitated by head injury of moderate intensity, occurred some days before the beginning of the clinical picture. The computerized tomography has demonstrated the existence of a simultaneous right fronto-parietal subdural hygroma that was responsible for the intracranial hypertension syndrome. The influence of the cyst in the hygroma formation has been suggested. The mechanisms of growth, the etiology, clinical aspects, the diagnostics and the surgical treatment of the arachnoid cysts are discussed.     

Posterior communicating artery aneurysm presenting with haemorrhage into an arachnoid cyst

A patient is reported on with a subarachnoid haemorrhage(SAH) from an aneurysm of the posterior communicating artery, who initially presented with a sentinel bleed into an arachnoid cyst andnormal magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the intracranial vasculature which led to a delay in diagnosis. Although this is a veryrare presentation of a relatively common condition, it is important torecognise the importance of intracystic haemorrhage in suchcircumstances as well as the limitations of MRA, as a delay indiagnosis may have serious clinical consequences.

     

Nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy presenting with restless leg syndrome-like symptoms

We describe the case of a 22-year-old male affected by NFLE reporting paroxysmal RLS-like symptoms. The patient was referred to our Sleep Center due to nocturnal paresthesias and cramps involving the left leg and leading to sleep fragmentation. At age 4, the patient presented with secondary generalized seizures preceded by left leg discomfort, controlled on CBZ. After successive therapy discontinuation, leg symptoms built up in frequency and duration until a secondary generalized seizure re-occurred. On CBZ prompt resumption no further GM seizures occurred albeit persistence of night-time frequent cramps and paraesthesia. Sleep EEG demonstrated asymmetric interictal sharp theta on the right posterior frontal areas, whereas brain MRI results were consistent with a Taylor type right frontal cortical dysplasia. CBZ augmentation and add on therapy with LEV led to further frequency reduction of sensory symptoms.     

Tapping of a type II Sylvian fissure arachnoid cyst: technical note

A 28-year-old man with a large Sylvian fissure cyst was treated by making a small pre-coronal burr hole, and subsequently, under a direct view its wall was fenestrated with a Cushing's needle and the cyst fluid was tapped. The patient had complete neurological recovery. The follow-up was of 90 months.     

Neurocognitive sequelae of a giant arachnoid cyst: case study

We conducted a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation of a normally functioning man with a giant arachnoid cyst encompassing much of the space normally occupied by the left hemisphere. Although of solidly average intellectual ability, the patient demonstrated neurocognitive deficits only revealed upon neuropsychological assessment. Despite the remarkable left hemisphere lesion, the pattern of cognitive dysfunction suggested right hemisphere pathology. We review the arachnoid cyst literature and discuss the possibility of a crowding phenomenon by which language function relocates to the more viable hemisphere. This case illustrates striking preservation of higher cognition in the presence of substantial structural abnormality.     

A case of frontal lobe epilepsy presenting with gelastic seizures]

We described a 9-year-old boy with frontal lobe epilepsy presenting with gelastic seizures. CT-scan showed mild widening of the left sylvian fissure. Abnormal findings in the left frontal operculum were detected by both MRI and SPECT. Attacks mainly consisted of gelastic seizures with comfortable feeling followed by screaming with fear. Administration of anticonvulsants resulted in reducing the frequency and severity of seizures. Finally the patient had brief laughter attacks only. In the present case, the clinical course suggests that the gelastic seizures does not occur by way of the spreading of epileptic discharges to the temporal or hypothalamic region; rather it might occur as a focal symptom of the frontal region.     

Hippocampal dysgenesis associated with temporal lobe hypoplasia and arachnoid cyst of the middle cranial fossa

We describe two children with left hippocampal dysgenesis in association with temporal lobe hypoplasia and arachnoid cyst of the middle cranial fossa. The hippocampus showed an abnormal globular shape and blurred internal structure in both patients. One of the patients had juvenile myoclonic epilepsy without evidence of seizure onset in the abnormal temporal region. The other patient did not have epilepsy; however, he showed developmental language disorder with a probable relationship to the left temporal abnormalities.