title: The dysraphic state of the posterior fossa. Clinical review of the Dandy-Walker syndrome and the so-called arachnoid cysts.
abstract: The Authors report their case material concerning some basic items of the dysraphic pathology of the Posterior Fossa: 22 cases of Dandy Walker syndromes (DWS) and "Arachnoid Cysts" (PFC). The mean clinical findings (predominant involvement of the vestibular structures of the brain stem in the DWS, frequent epileptic seizures and some cases of hypothalamic disturbances in the PFC) are discussed in the light of current embryological theories on Weed's "area membranacea". Finally the results of differential surgical treatments are examined: good or satisfactory results were obtained with shunts, while still debatable seems to be the direct surgical approach.
mesh_terms: D001099:Arachnoid; D003560:Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003616:Dandy-Walker Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery*; D011011:Pneumoencephalography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed