Abstract
Recently, endoscopic procedures have been recommended as the first surgical
option for cerebral arachnoid cyst (AC). The author reports seven ACs treated
endoscopically and discuss the role of endoscopic fenestration. The age of the
patients ranged from two to 62 years. Three ACs were located in the posterior
cranial fossa, two in the suprasellar area, one in the middle cranial fossa, and
one in the convexity. All cases were examined by cine magnetic resonance (MR)
flow study. The patient's symptoms included headache, vomiting, dizziness,
problems in balance, visual disturbance, and seizure. The author performed a
cysto-cisternostomy or cysto-ventriculostomy via a single burr hole. The
follow-up periods ranged from six to 18 months. There was no mortality or
morbidity except one case of intracisternal bleeding during endoscopic
procedure. Symptoms were relieved in all seven patients. Follow-up imaging
studies revealed a decrease in the size or disappearance of the cysts. The
results support that the minimal fenestration procedure as possibly as
preserving the internal environment is valuable for the management of ACs.