title: Infratentorial arachnoid cysts in children.
abstract: 8 Children surgically treated for posterior fossa arachnoid cyst are described. In all the cases an enlarging head was the presenting sign; intracranial hypertension was evident in 6 patients; 2 children were clinically regarded as being affected by 'arrested' hydrocephalus. Preoperative subarachnoid lumbar infusion tests (8 cases) and prolonged intraventricular CSF pressure recordings (2 cases) demonstrated abnormal CSF dynamics in 6 cases. Ultramicroscopic examinations of the cyst wall (4 cases) suggest alterations in the anatomical arrangement of the arachnoid membrane, which supports the hypothesis of maldevelopment as the origin of the lesion.
mesh_terms: D001099:Arachnoid; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; D002648:Child; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior; D003560:Cysts / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male