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Leptomeningeal cyst (LMC) is a known complication of pediatric head injury but has not been described following a craniotomy other than for craniosynostosis. We present the case of a 20-month-old boy who underwent craniotomy for a traumatic epidural hematoma. There was an inadvertent tear of the dura which was repaired with a pericranial patch and dural sealant. The patient presented with a progressive surgical site swelling 5 months post-surgery and a CT scan revealed an LMC with elevation of the bone flap. He underwent re-exploration with watertight repair of the dural defect and rigid fixation of the bone flap. This iatrogenic LMC provides an opportunity to compare and confirm the pathogenesis vis a vis the more common spontaneous post-traumatic LMC. Our report highlights the importance of proper dural closure and bone fixation after craniotomy in children whose skulls are still growing., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Spinal intradural arachnoid cysts (SACs) account for approximately 10% of total arachnoid cysts, and iatrogenic attribution is rare. A 50-year-old male presented with low back pain and severe radiating pain in his right leg along the S1 dermatome. He had an interspinous device (ISD) inserted 10 years earlier. Plain radiographs showed breakage and angular movement of the ISD at L4/5. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbosacral spine disclosed multiple intradural cystic tumors in the entire lumbar region. He underwent removal of the ISD, laminectomy, and resection of the intradural cyst. The pathologic finding of the cystic tumor was compatible with arachnoid cyst. Antibodies to parasites, including cysticercosis, were negative in both the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The ventral surface of the implant was clearly broken.

Background: Intrameningeal cysts are rare lesions without definitive etiologies that can involve the dura or arachnoid mater. Spinal arachnoid cysts have been described, and several different etiologies have been hypothesized. This includes one-way valve mechanisms, traumatic herniation of arachnoid through the dura, and abnormal arachnoid membrane proliferation. To the authors' knowledge, no such descriptions exist regarding purely dural-based cystic lesions; however, the authors hypothesize similar mechanisms may be involved. Most notably, a traumatic injury to the dura leading to a one-way valve mechanism may allow for egress of cerebrospinal fluid between the dural layers, splitting them open. This progressive enlargement can lead to displacement of neural elements and subsequent neurological compromise., Methods: We describe a 17-year-old girl who presented with progressive neck and back pain, left upper-extremity numbness, bilateral lower-extremity weakness, paresthesias, and numbness without obvious etiology despite an extensive neurologic investigation. She had undergone conservative management options including multiple medications, physical and chiropractic therapy, and epidural steroid injections. Computed tomography myelography revealed a cerebrospinal fluid leak into the lumbar epidural space for which surgical exploration was performed. Despite utilizing fluoroscopy and intrathecal fluorescein, no leak source was identified. Fluid collection was found contained within the dural layers rather than the epidural space., Results: An intracystic blood patch was performed with near-complete resolution of the lesion by 6-week follow-up and near-complete return of neurologic function., Conclusions: Ventral panspinal cysts are an exceedingly rare cause of radiculopathy and myelopathy that can be resolved by an intracystic blood patch., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The bobble-head doll syndrome (BHDS) is a rare acquired head movement disorder characterized by up and down or side-to-side movement, most commonly seen in the first decade of life. The syndrome occurs more often in lesions causing third ventricle dilatation such as suprasellar or third ventricle cyst, but it is also found in other pathologies associated with hydrocephalus like shunt dysfunctions, trapped fourth ventricle, congenital aqueductal stenosis, Dandy-Walker syndrome, and cerebellar malformations. The pathophysiology of this head movement has different origins theories; one states that this stereotyped movements empties the cyst and move the dome away from the foramina of Monro, which relieves the symptoms of hydrocephalus; the other suggests that the extrapyramidal tracts (rubrotegmentospinal and reticulospinal) are stimulated by the compression of dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus by the cyst, whose tracts innervate the neck muscles resulting in the bobbling head movements. This video (Video 1) presents a clinical case of BHDS caused by suprasellar cyst in a 10- year-old boy treated by endoscopic procedure. A ventricular-cyst-cisternostomy was performed resulting in complete improvement of the head movements and uneventful recovery. Postoperative images demonstrate decreasing of the cyst lesion and resolution of the hydrocephalus., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The surgical treatment of traumatic leptomeningeal cyst (LMC) is repair of the dural defect with or without cranioplasty. The dural substitutes used are either autografts (which may not be enough) or artificial grafts (which are foreign-body implantations and which also may be too expensive in a low-resource practice). In this report from a developing country, we present the surgical description of the use of the cyst capsule as a cost-free autologous graft in the surgical repair of the dural defects of two cases of traumatic leptomeningeal cyst.

Growing skull fracture (GSF) is an uncommon post-traumatic complication, which accounts for approximately 0.05% to 1% of all skull fractures. Delayed diagnosis of GSF in adulthood is rare and often involved with a variety of neurological symptoms. Here, we reported an adult patient, with an interval of 17 years from initial head trauma to first diagnosis of GSF. The patient complained of short periods of fainting and bilateral visual hallucinations, with a hard palpable bulge around his right occipitomastoid suture region. Computed tomographic imaging demonstrated an arachnoid cyst extending into right mastoid cavity. Consequently, the delayed diagnosis of GSF was confirmed, and the patient was managed with duroplasty and cranioplasty. At the 8-month follow-up, the patient showed an uneventful postoperative recovery. A comprehensive literature review was also conducted, and a total of 70 GSF cases were identified and summarized. According to the literature review, patients with GSF generally have a history of head trauma in their childhood, and delayed diagnosis is a common situation. Diagnosis of GSF should include complete retrospective medical history, physical, and imaging examinations. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, cranioplasty accompanied with duroplasty might be the most effective way to relieve symptoms and prevent further damage.

Background: Post-traumatic diploic leptomeningeal cyst with bilateral posterior cranial fossa epidural hygroma is a rare complication after calvarial fracture. Very few cases have been reported to date; hence, there are no specific guidelines for the management of these cases., Case Description: A 4-year-old boy was brought to the emergency department after suffering from head trauma caused by a fall from a rooftop where he was treated conservatively at a local hospital. Later, he developed swelling in the occipital region and was brought to the department of neurosurgery where he was operated on. After the first surgery, recurrence of swelling was seen after a postoperative period of 2 months, and computed tomography scan reported persistent epidural hygroma with extension into the subcutaneous space. The second surgery was performed, and 12-month follow-up did not show any recurrence of swelling in the patient., Conclusions: Post-traumatic leptomeningeal cyst is commonly associated with occipital injury. The causes are as follows: the dura is very loosely attached to the intracranial lamina in young children, injury to the skull results in potential epidural space, and any tear or breach in the meninges leads to accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in these spaces giving rise to cystic swelling. Watertight duroplasty with trials of duro-periosteal hitching has been described in the management of these cases., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Currently, the pathogenesis of leptomeningeal cysts, also known as growing skull fractures, is still debated. The purpose of this study was to examine the specific skull fracture characteristics that are associated with the development of growing skull fractures and describe the authors' institutional experience managing this rare entity., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed that included all patients younger than 5 years presenting to a single institution with skull fractures from 2003 to 2017. Patient demographics, cause of injury, skull fracture characteristics (e.g., amount of diastasis, linear versus comminuted fracture), concomitant neurologic injuries, and management outcomes were recorded. Potential factors contributing to the development of a growing skull fracture and neurologic injuries associated with growing skull fractures were evaluated using univariate logistic regression., Results: A total of 905 patients met the authors' inclusion criteria. Of these, six (0.66 percent) were diagnosed with a growing skull fracture. Growing skull fractures were more likely to be comminuted (83.3 percent versus 40.7 percent; p = 0.082) and to present with diastasis on imaging (100 percent versus 26.1 percent; p < 0.001; mean amount of diastasis, 7.1 mm versus 3.1 mm; p < 0.001). Univariate logistic regression analysis confirmed the role of a comminuted fracture pattern (OR, 7.572) and the degree of diastasis (OR, 2.081 per mm diastasis) as significant risk factors for the development of growing skull fractures., Conclusions: The authors' analysis revealed that fracture comminution and diastasis width are associated with the development of growing skull fractures. The authors recommend dural integrity assessment, close follow-up, and early management in young children who present with these skull fracture characteristics., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Risk, III.

Iatrogenic lumbar arachnoid cysts are a rare occurrence after intradural surgery. 1 , 2 To our knowledge, there is only 1 other previous case reported in the literature contributing to a symptomatic tethered cord. 3 We present a surgical video (Video 1) demonstrating the history, preoperative workup, and operative technique for exploration and fenestration of a symptomatic iatrogenic lumbar arachnoid cyst with a tethered cord. The patient is a 57-year-old female with a history of a closed neural tube defect with a lipoma that was resected over 20 years before her evaluation. She was lost to follow-up and did not retain any previous medical documentation. She complained of a 2-month history of progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness, leg pain, and worsening of chronic urinary incontinence. Imaging demonstrated a cystic lesion compressing her conus and cauda equina at the L3-4 level. The risks, benefits, and alternatives were discussed, and the patient elected to proceed with surgery. Intraoperative findings demonstrated a complex multiloculated arachnoid cyst with tethering of the conus. The cysts were dissected from the conus and fenestrated, allowing spontaneous flow of cerebrospinal fluid and conus pulsations. Biopsy of the cyst wall confirmed the diagnosis of arachnoid cyst without neoplastic tissue. Due to the presence of multiple loculations, primary pial closure could not be performed. Thus, a circumferential detethering of the conus was performed to ensure complete decompression of the neural elements. Postoperatively, the patient demonstrated improvement in her bilateral lower extremity pain and weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging was scheduled during routine follow-up at 3 months., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Bobble-head doll syndrome is a rare neurological syndrome presenting with repetitive anteroposterior head movements. It is usually associated with expansile cystic lesions in the third ventricular region., Case Description: An 8-year-old boy presented with involuntary bobbling head movements. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed an extensive suprasellar cyst resulting in obstructive hydrocephalus. Endoscopic ventriculo-cysto-cisternostomy resulted in improved clinical outcome., Conclusions: Endoscopic ventriculo-cysto-cisternostomy is an effective, less-invasive technique in the treatment of suprasellar cysts that results in resolution of the bobbling head movements., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Quadrigeminal arachnoid cysts (QAC) are usually accompanied by a symptomatic obstructive hydrocephalus. Several endoscopic and surgical treatments exist; however, the critical location of these cysts further complicates treatment and usually more than one procedure is required. In this report, a 31 year old female with QAC and associated obstructive hydrocephalus was successfully treated with stereotactic placement of a permanent ventricular - cystic stent (intraventricualr - cystic catheterization) in single - session. Intraventricular - cystic stenting provides a long lasting communication between these two compartments, allowing persistent "physiologic" solution to this challenging condition.

Background: Arachnoiditis ossificans (AO) is a rare condition often associated with previous spine surgery. Here we describe a unique case of a patient affected by ankylosing spondylitis (AS), presenting with progressive neurologic deterioration due to AO. We also review the literature on evaluation and management of patients suffering from AO., Case Description: The 65-year-old patient had a history of previous spinal trauma and related thoracolumbar surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiloculated intradural/extramedullary cysts on the posterior surface of the spinal cord at Th9-L1, with clustered nerve roots. Computed tomography, with 3-dimensional reconstruction, demonstrated a likely ossification of both the dura and arachnoid from Th9 to S1. Microsurgical debridement of scar tissue from previous surgery, drilling of posterior ossified plaques at Th11-Th12-L1, and marsupialization and drainage of arachnoid cysts at Th11-Th12 were performed., Conclusions: We submit that AS, spinal trauma, epidural hematoma, and related surgery may be synergistic and independent factors in the etiopathogenesis of AO. This should be considered in patients with AS and/or a history of spinal surgery who present neurologic worsening., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is due to pathogenic variants in TSC1 or TSC2 genes resulting in hyperactivation of the mTOR pathway. Many organ systems can be affected, such as brain, skin, eye, heart, bone, kidney, or lung. Typical lesions of TSC usually are those included as major criteria, including angiofibromas, hypomelanotic macules, tubers, subependymal nodules, angiomyolipomas, cardiac rhabdomyomas, and lymphangioleiomyomatosis. However, there are many other manifestations less frequent and/or less well known, many of them not included as clinical diagnostic criteria that are part of the clinical spectrum of TSC. The focus of this review will be on these less common and less well-known manifestations of TSC. Among the rare manifestations, we will discuss some clinical findings including arteriopathy, arachnoid cysts, lymphatic involvement, chordomas, gynecological, endocrine, and gastrointestinal findings. Among the manifestations that are very frequent but much less well known, we find the sclerotic bone lesions. Although they are very frequent in TSC they have been largely overlooked and not considered diagnostic criteria, mainly because they are asymptomatic. However, it is important to know their typical characteristics to avoid misdiagnosing them as metastasis., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Meningioma growing into an arachnoid cyst is an extremely rare event. Only 3 cases are reported in the literature. In 2 of them, an operative procedure in or near the arachnoid cyst preceded tumor growth., Case Description: We report a case of a patient requiring marsupialization of an arachnoid cyst of the middle cranial fossa. On follow-up, 3 years postoperatively he showed no signs of recurrence or tumor growth. One year later, the fourth year after surgery on the cyst, he presented with large tumor growth into the former cyst's cavity. Pathologic workup after resection revealed an atypical meningioma (World Health Organization grade II)., Conclusions: We discuss the possible pathogenesis in light of the scarce published literature, as well as the differential diagnosis of this rapidly growing tumor., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Although a valve-like mechanism has been proposed for expansion of spinal extradural arachnoid cysts (SEACs), the detailed mechanism remains unclear. Moreover, closure of the communication site is essential during surgery, but the method to identify the communication site remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the detailed mechanism of expanding SEACs through retrospective analysis of SEAC cases undergoing surgery and to elucidate the characteristics of the communication sites., Methods: The authors retrospectively evaluated 12 patients with SEACs who underwent surgery between 2000 and 2014 and analyzed their perioperative findings., Results: Dural defects were detected in 11 out of 12 patients, and a valve-like mechanism was observed in 7 patients, wherein a nerve root fiber moved back and forth through the dural defect along with the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) between the intradural space and the extradural arachnoid cysts. The dural defect was located at the thoracolumbar junction in 7 patients, below the distal end of the bridging ossification in 2, at the level of vertebral wedge deformity in 2, and at the level of disc herniation in 1., Conclusions: A valve-like mechanism was observed in 7 of the 12 patients, which suggests that it could serve as a mechanism of SEAC formation. The communication sites were variously located at the end of ossification in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), wedge deformity of the vertebral body, or disc herniation, indicating the contribution of mechanical stress to SEAC formation., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Neuromyelitis optica is an inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that is characterized by severe relapsing attacks of optic neuritis and transverse myelitis. The current case describes a 29-year-old man with intractable epilepsy and diplegic spastic cerebral palsy who was given the diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder after presenting with weakness, incontinence, and decreased visual acuity. His symptoms recurred 21 months after initial presentation. Magnetic resonance imaging of his spine revealed arachnoid cysts with regional mass effects. Differentiation of arachnoid cysts from a demyelinating process may be difficult in the early stages of the disease. Close monitoring of patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder is important, especially in patients with recurrent or refractory symptoms.

Case Report: The authors report two cases of arachnoid cysts (ACs) neither detected during pregnancy nor shortly after birth when newborns underwent CT scan evaluation after birth head trauma. ACs were diagnosed at 10 months and 6 years, respectively. The first one becomes symptomatic, and the other one was incidentally found during a head trauma investigation., Discussion: These cases give support for the postnatal pathogenesis for some of the assumed congenital ACs. We collected data from the literature that supports the acquired hypothesis for ACs.

Arachnoid cysts (ACs) are frequently encountered in pediatric neurosurgical practice. Their natural history and optimum treatment are not well determined. The authors describe a resolution of asymptomatic middle fossa AC after trivial head trauma in a 7-year-old child. Intracystic bleeding was noticed on interval MRI. Serial MRI follow-up demonstrates stages of resolution of the AC that did not require surgical intervention. Few cases of nonsurgical AC disappearance have been reported, much fewer with trauma as a triggering factor. Here, we present the stages of resolution in images., (© 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Arachnoid cysts are dural diverticula with liquid content similar to cerebrospinal fluid, with 1% occurring in the spinal cord. They locate mainly in the dorsal region of the thoracic spine, and are unusual causes of spinal cord compression., Clinical Case: The case is presented of a previously healthy 15-year-old boy, with a 20-month history of spastic paraparesis that started apparently after epidural block for ankle osteosynthesis. There was decreased sensitivity and strength of the pelvic limbs and gradually presented with anaesthesia from T12 to L4 dermatomes, L5 and S1 bilateral hypoaesthesia and 4+/5 bilateral strength, in the L2 root and 2+/5 in L3, L4, L5, S1, hyperreflexia, Babinski and clonus, but with no alteration in the sacral reflexes. In the magnetic resonance it was diagnosed as an extradural arachnoid cyst from T6 to T9. The patient underwent a T6 to T10 laminotomy, cyst resection, dural defect suture, and laminoplasty. One year after surgery, the patient had recovered sensitivity, improvement of muscle strength up to 4+/5 in L2 to S1, and normal reflexes., Conclusions: After the anaesthetic procedure, increased pressure and volume changes within the cyst could cause compression of the spinal cord, leading to symptoms. Despite being a long-term compression, the patient showed noticeable improvement., (Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

Iatrogenic arachnoid cysts represent uncommon complications of intradural spinal procedures. Here we present the case of a 7-year-old girl who was found to have a symptomatic, pathologically proven, intradural arachnoid cyst 3 years following tethered cord release. The patient originally presented with abnormal urodynamics testing and was found to have fatty infiltration in her filum terminale. She underwent sectioning of the filum terminale without complications. The patient presented 3 years later with pain and neurogenic claudication. The patient was successfully treated with subarachnoid cyst fenestration with resolution of her bilateral lower extremity pain. Spinal intradural arachnoid cysts represent an important, though rare, postoperative complication of dural opening., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Spinal arachnoid cysts are a rare cause of spinal cord compression. Intradural arachnoid cysts are rarer than extradural arachnoid cysts. Spinal arachnoid cysts are mostly congenital in origin. Arachnoid cysts due to trauma, lumbar puncture, or surgery are rarely reported. Most arachnoid cysts are located posterior to the spinal cord in the thoracic regions. The ideal treatment is laminectomy or laminoplasty with puncture, marsupialization, or excision. But the development of a cervico-thoracic spinal intradural extramedullary arachnoid cyst anteriorly located 28 years after laminectomy is a recognizable complication of laminectomy., Case Description: We report here a case of a 45-year-old man who underwent C6-T1 laminectomy at the age of 17 years for cervical intervertebral disc prolapse (C6/7, C7/T1) and compressive myelopathy. Twenty-eight years after laminectomy, he developed spastic quadriparesis and was diagnosed with a spinal intradural extramedullary anterior arachnoid cyst at the laminectomy site with compressive myelopathy., Conclusions: So, although laminectomy with excision is usually practiced to treat spinal arachnoid cysts, laminectomy itself is a cause of development of intradural arachnoid cysts., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The authors present a series of patients who developed a pseudomeningocele following fronto-orbital advancement and remodeling (FOAR), describing clinical presentation, investigations, and management. Risk factors are identified and preventative strategies suggested., Materials and Methods: From 2002 to 2012, all patients who underwent FOAR at our unit were identified. Those who developed a pseudomeningocele were selected and case notes, scan imaging and photographs were reviewed., Results: Two hundred thirty-six FOAR operations were carried out over 12 consecutive years. Sixty-one of these patients were syndromic. A pseudomeningocele occurred in 6 patients. All affected cases were syndromic. Clinical features of presentation with orbital pseudomeningocele included orbital swelling, ptosis, proptosis, and/or hypoglobus. Raised intracranial pressure (ICP) was managed before pseudomeningocele repair in 2 patients, at the time of pseudomeningocele repair using an extra-ventricular drain (EVD) or lumbar drain in 4 patients. Decompression of the pseudomeningocele with excision and duraplsty was carried out in 5 patients, 1 patient required excision of gliotic brain and obliteration of dead space. Four patients had a calvarial graft to manage the bony defect and a further 2 had a titanium mesh. None of the patients had a recurrence of the pseudomeningocele or any long-term ocular or aesthetic complications., Conclusion: Pseudomeningocele has not previously been described in FOAR, but in a large series of consecutive patients, we have identified a 2.5% incidence. This incidence increases to 10% in the syndromic population of patients undergoing FOAR. The risk factors include a diagnosis of syndromic craniosynostosis, dural tear, hydrocephalus or raised ICP, infection, persistent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, or presence of dead space. Preventative strategies include CSF management before or post-FOAR. The ultimate treatment of the pseudomeningocele and growing fracture involves surgical decompression of the collection, a duraplasty, reconstruction of the orbital roof, and temporary CSF diversion.

Arachnoid cysts of central nervous system are benign collections filled with a liquid that is equal o similar to cerebrospinal fluid, coated with a single layer or flattened arachnoid cells membrane, congenital or secondary to trauma, meningitis or hemorrhage. First described by Bright in 1931, its definition and possible pathophysiology has been debated to date. Our objective is to present a summary of this process., (Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.)

We present the case of a premature neonate who developed a large, acquired arachnoid cyst as a consequence of intraventricular haemorrhage. The child was managed with endoscopic fenestration and made an excellent recovery., (2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

Introduction: Growing skull fracture, also known as post-traumatic bone absorption or leptomeningeal cyst, is a rare complication of traumatic brain injuries and occurs almost exclusively in children under 3 years of age., Case Report: We report the case of a 6-month-old child who presented, two months after an apparently unimportant traumatic skull injury, persistence of left temporoparietooccipital cephalohaematoma with no other signs. A transfontanellar ultrasonography scan revealed a bone defect with brain herniation, and computerised tomography and magnetic resonance imaging also confirmed the existence of a growing fracture. Excision of the leptomeningeal cyst, dural closure and repair of the bone defect with plates and lactate material were performed. Three months after the operation, the patient still presented collection of fluid and recurrence of the growing fracture was confirmed. Following the second operation, a baby helmet was fitted in order to prevent renewed recurrences. One year after the traumatic injury occurred, the patient remains asymptomatic., Conclusions: Any child under 3 years of age with a post-traumatic cephalohaematoma should be checked periodically until the full resolution of the collection of fluid, especially if they present a fractured skull. The presence of a cephalohaematoma that remains more than two weeks after traumatic brain injury must make us suspect a growing fracture and reparation of the dura mater and a cranioplasty will be needed to treat it. The use of resorbable material allows it to be remodelled as the patient's skull grows, but its fragility increases the risk of recurrence. The use of a baby helmet after the operation could prevent complications.

Discussion: We present a case of a preterm boy of 29 gestational weeks with complicated posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus who developed a retroclival cyst extending to the upper cervical spinal canal and leading to brainstem compression. At the age of 2 months, third ventriculocisternocystostomy (ETVCC) resulted in temporary relief but was followed by reclosure of the stoma within weeks. At the age of 4 months, navigated endoscopic ventriculocisternocystostomy and endoscopy-guided stent catheter placement was performed with connection to a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt system through a burr hole reservoir., Conclusion: This strategy improved the multiloculated hydrocephalus by establishing a communication between theretroclival subarachnoid cyst and the ventricular system, leading to uneventful further development of the child.

A clinical case of a 12 year-old girl with hydrocephalus complicated by rare condition, lateral ventricular diverticulum, is reported. Progression of the diverticulum was followed up according to MRI. The diverticulum of the lateral ventricular wall has emerged in the interval of 1 year (14 months have passed between the two MRI examinations) and spread towards the quadrigeminal cistern. In addition, compression of cerebellum, aqueductus cerebri Sylvii, and the fourth ventricle of the brain have emerged. A surgical treatment was suggested after the hydrocephalus had been initially revealed (when the diverticulum had not been formed yet); however, the child's parents refused the therapy. One year later, a series of epileptic seizures emerged, and MR scans showed a cystic neoplasm in the postcranial fossa above the cerebellum. The genesis of the cyst and its nature were unclear and additional invasive examination methods were required. MSCT ventriculography confirmed the diverticulum of the right lateral ventricle towards the quadrigeminal cistern.

Background: Growing skull fracture (GSF)/pseudomeningocele is a rare complication of head injury in children. Post-traumatic intradiploic arachnoid cyst (PTIAC) is a variant but it is extremely rare. PTIACs are usually asymptomatic or with mild symptoms like headache. The rupture of PTIAC due to re-trauma leading to pseudomeningocele formation has not been seen or reported before., Patient and Method: We present a case of occipital PTIAC where pseudomeningocele developed after re-trauma, and discuss the pathogenesis and management., Result: En masse removal of the ruptured PTIAC was performed along with dural-defect repair. The post-operative recovery was good., Conclusion: PTIAC is an extremely rare occurrence as a variant of GSF. It is usually asymptomatic, but it may rupture with trivial trauma due to a thinned-out outer table and then converts into pseudomengocele. En masse excision with dural-defect repair gives good results in cases of ruptured PTIAC due to re-trauma.

Background: Spinal intradural arachnoid cyst is a rare lesion, sometimes acquired., Purpose: To describe the appearance and later spontaneous disappearence of a lumbar intradural arachnoid cyst, following perineural corticoid injections., Method: Review of the clinical data and imaging, with final spontaneous return to initial state., Discussion: Atypical intradural arachnoid cysts can be related to perineural injections and can cause symptoms of spinal stenosis. Its spontaneous vanishing is a very rare event, up to now unreported.

Background: Subarachnoid cysts are rare conditions in veterinary medicine, associated with spinal cord dysfunction. Most of the 100 cases of subarachnoid cysts described since the first report in 1968 were apparently not true cysts. Reported cysts are usually situated in the cervical area and occur in predisposed breeds such as the Rottweiler. The purpose of this retrospective study, from May 2003 to April 2012, was to describe the distinctive features of thoracolumbar spinal subarachnoid cysts, together with their surgical treatment and outcome in 6 chondrodystrophic dogs., Results: Five Pugs and 1 French Bulldog were examined. Images suggestive of a subarachnoid cyst were obtained by myelography (2/6) and computed tomography myelography (4/6), and associated disc herniation was observed in 3/6 dogs. A hemilaminectomy was performed. The protruding disc eventually found in 5/6 dogs was treated by lateral corpectomy. The ventral leptomeningeal adhesions observed in all dogs after durotomy were dissected. No or only mild post-operative neurological degradation was observed. Follow-up studies (7 months to 4 years) indicated good outcome and no recurrence., Conclusions: All the thoracolumbar subarachnoid cysts described in these 6 chondrodystrophic dogs were associated with leptomeningeal adhesions. Good results seemed to be obtained by dissecting and removing these adhesions. A protruding disc, found here in 5/6 dogs, needs to be ruled out and can be treated by lateral corpectomy.

An intradural arachnoid cyst is a relatively rare condition, occurring within the spinal subarachnoid space. We present the even-more rare case of an intradural arachnoid cyst associated with syringomyelia at the same spinal level. The patient was a 66-year-old man who presented with bilateral leg numbness and gait disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an intradural arachnoid cyst located dorsal to, and compressing, the thoracic spinal cord at the level of the 7th thoracic vertebra (Th 7). In addition, syringomyelia existed at the level of Th 8, slightly caudal to the intradural arachnoid cyst. We dissected the cyst but did not perform any surgical procedures for the syringomyelia. Post-operative MRI showed that the cyst had disappeared and the syringomyelia had spontaneously shrunk. The patient was discharged with improvement in his numbness and gait disturbance. There are a few case reports of intradural arachnoid cysts associated with syringomyelia, but recent evidence suggests that its occurrence is more common than previously thought. A combination of these two diseases is thought to be caused by blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow, which is also thought to cause adhesive arachnoiditis. For this reason, resection of the arachnoid cyst could improve the CSF flow and contribute to the shrinkage of syringomyelia. Furthermore, early treatment may correlate with improvement in radiological findings and neurological symptoms.

A ten-month-old male infant fell onto the floor from a chair of 50 cm in height and hit his head on the day before hospitalization. He was admitted due to acute subdural hematoma, which was associated with arachnoid cyst. Head CT conducted on the 4th day confirmed that the hematoma had not enlarged. After discharge, enlargement of the hematoma was detected on MR imaging conducted on the 65th day after injury, followed by the diminution without surgical treatment. MR images were obtained on the 192nd day. In the case of head injury associated with arachnoid cyst, the risk of subdural hematoma as well as its ensuing enlargement in subacute or chronic phase needs to be considered.

Object: Intracranial arachnoid cysts are a relatively common benign intracranial pathology, accounting for as many as 0.75%-1% of nontraumatic CNS lesions. Although it has already been demonstrated that rupture of arachnoid cysts may lead to subdural hematomas/hygromas, no study to date has investigated benign extracerebral collection in infancy as a possible predisposing factor for further development of arachnoid cysts., Methods: The authors performed a retrospective imaging and chart review of macrocephalic infants 12 months old or younger who were referred to neurosurgical care at OSF St. Francis Medical Center from 2003 to 2010, and who were diagnosed with benign extracerebral fluid collection in infancy on thin-slice (1-mm) head CT scans. Special attention was given to the investigation of risk factors for further development of de novo arachnoid cysts. Several epidemiological factors in the infants and mothers were analyzed, including gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, mother's age at delivery, delivery complications, birth weight, age of macrocephaly development, degree of macrocephaly, family history of macrocephaly, prenatal and postnatal history of infection, fontanel status, presence of papilledema, previous history of head trauma, and smoking status. Imaging characteristics of the initial scans, such as location of subdural collection (frontal vs frontoparietal and frontotemporal) and presence of ventriculomegaly, were also evaluated. For those patients in whom arachnoid cysts were identified on subsequent CT scans, the size and location of the cysts were also analyzed., Results: The authors identified 44 children with benign extracerebral fluid collection in infancy. From this group, over a mean follow-up of 13 months (range 6-13 months), 18 children developed intracranial arachnoid cysts (a 40.9% incidence of de novo development of arachnoid cysts), with 27.8% presenting with bilateral cysts. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, infants who presented with an extracerebral collection restricted to the bilateral frontal region were more likely to develop intracranial arachnoid cysts (p = 0.035) than those with collections involving the frontotemporal and frontoparietal regions (odds ratio [OR] = 5.73). Additionally, children with benign extracerebral fluid collections and plagiocephaly were more likely to develop intracranial arachnoid cysts (p = 0.043) than those without plagiocephaly (OR = 4.96)., Conclusions: This is the first report in the neurosurgical literature demonstrating that benign extracerebral fluid collections in infancy may constitute a significant risk factor for development of de novo arachnoid cysts. These findings support a 2-hit hypothesis for the development of arachnoid cysts, in which the combination of an embryological defect in arachnoid development followed by a second event leading to impairment of CSF fluid absorption in early childhood could lead to abnormal CSF dynamics and the consequent expansion of fluid collections in the intraarachnoid spaces.

Haemorrhagic complications of arachnoid cysts have been reported as subdural or intracystic hematoma following trauma. In this paper, we report a patient with arachnoid cyst who developed extradural hematoma after a subtle head injury and presented with very mild symptoms in spite of the huge size of the hematoma.

The bobble-head doll syndrome is characterised by abnormal head movements. These head movements are usually 'yes-yes' (up and down) type; rarely, head movements are 'no-no' (side-to-side) type. Commonly described causes of the bobble-head doll syndrome include third ventricular tumours, suprasellar arachnoid cysts, aqueductal stenosis and other lesions in the region of the third ventricle of the brain. We report a case of tuberculous meningitis with hydrocephalus; in this patient bobble-head doll syndrome developed following external ventricular drainage. In our patient, placement of intraventricular drain led to massive dilatation of the frontal horn of the left lateral ventricle because of blocked foramina of Monro on the left side. The bobble-head doll syndrome, presumably, developed because of the pressure effect of the dilated third ventricle on the dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus, red nucleus and dentatorubrothalamic pathways. We think that distortion of the third ventricle was responsible for the impairment of the functions of all these structures.

We present the case of a 58-year-old lady with p-ANCA vasculitis who suffered a WFNS grade 1 subarachnoid haemorrhage (Fisher grade 1) secondary to a ruptured left posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm and then developed a rare complication of radiologically progressive spinal arachnoiditis despite maintained clinical response to definitive treatment measures.

Object: A growing skull fracture (GSF) is a rare but significant late complication of skull fractures, usually occurring during infancy and early childhood. Delayed diagnosis and improper treatment could exacerbate this disease. The aim of this study was to introduce a new hypothesis about, describe the stages of, and discuss the treatment strategy for GSF., Methods: The authors performed a retrospective review of 27 patients with GSF, who were grouped according to 3 different GSF stages., Results: Over a period of 20 years, 27 patients with GSF (16 males and 11 females) were treated in the authors' department. The mean follow-up period was 26.5 months. Six patients were in the prephase of GSF (Stage 1), 10 patients in the early phase (Stage 2), and 11 in the late phase (Stage 3). All patients underwent duraplasty. All 6 patients at Stage 1 and 5 patients at Stage 2 underwent craniotomy without cranioplasty. Five patients at Stage 2 and all of the patients at Stage 3 underwent cranioplasty with autologous bone and alloplastic materials, respectively. Among all patients, 5 underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement. Symptoms in all patients at Stages 1 and 2 were alleviated or disappeared, and the cranial bones developed without deformity during follow-up. Among patients with Stage 3 GSF, no obvious improvement in neurological deficits was observed. Three patients underwent additional operations because of cranial deformation or infection., Conclusions: The authors identify the stages of GSF according to a new hypothesis. They conclude that accurately diagnosing and treating GSF during Stages 1 and 2 leads to a better prognosis.