Endoscopic management of large multicompartmental intraventricular arachnoid cyst extending from foramen magnum to foramen of Monro

The treatment options for symptomatic arachnoid cysts are shunting, open craniotomy, and endoscopic fenestration. Endoscopic fenestration of large arachnoid cyst is safe and effective. Postoperative subdural hematoma and intraparenchymal hemorrhage can be avoided by endoscopic fenestration. This technique has the additional advantage of identifying and treating ventricular abnormalities, such as foramen of Monro stenosis and cerebral aqueduct occlusion. This report describes endoscopic dual fenestration in a child with large multicompartmental intraventricular arachnoid cyst extending from foramen magnum to foramen of Monro. The child presented with difficulty to hold the neck in upright position, irritability, vomiting, and large head. Follow-up postoperative magnetic resonance imaging at 3 months showed a significant reduction in size of the cyst. Clinically, the patient showed a gradual improvement at 10 months follow-up. Probably this is the first report of this nature.

Keywords
Arachnoid cysts, central nervous system cysts, endoscopy, hydrocephalus, nervous system malformations