title: Surgical treatment of intracranial dermoid and epidermoid cysts in children.
abstract: Between 1956 and 1987 operations were performed on 36 patients below the age of 20 years for epidermoid and dermoid cysts of the central nervous system. Seventeen tumors were intracranial intradural lesions (47%): 12 were located in the supratentorial region (71%) and 5 were located in the infratentorial region (29%). Ten of these tumors (59%) were seated along the midline structures. The clinical presentation was consistent with the location of the tumors. The neuroradiological diagnosis was mostly made with the aid of pneumoencephalography, computed tomography (CT), nonionic contrast medium CT cisternography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Complete removal of the tumor contents was performed in all cases but one, although the completeness of removal of the tumor capsule could not be exactly estimated in some patients. At late follow-up only two tumor recurrences were observed. Radical removal of the tumor capsule of these congenital tumors, even when it is connected to vital neurovascular structures, seems advisable in patients who become symptomatic within the first two decades of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornari
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Solero
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lasio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lodrini
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Balestrini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cimino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Visintini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pluchino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003884:Dermoid Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004814:Epidermal Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed