[A retrosellar arachnoid cyst as a rare cause of homonymous hemianopsia].
BACKGROUND
Arachnoidal cysts are cystic lesions filled with a cerebrospinal-fluid-like content within the leptomeninges. Usually arachnoidal cysts represent a congenital malformation. Clinical signs (increased intracranial pressure and/or neurological defects) may become apparent in children or young adults.


METHODS
A sixteen year old boy was referred to our outpatient clinic because of blurred vision in both eyes since five days. The patient complained of cephalgia and of an increased sleep requirement in the last two weeks. Morphological findings were within the normal range. The visual acuity was 0.7 in the right eye and 0.2 in the left eye. The visual fields showed an incomplete homonymous hemianopia to the right. The CT and MRI revealed a retrosellar arachnoidal cyst. Two weeks after fenestration of the cyst the visual acuity had risen to 1.3 in both eyes and the visual field defects had disappeared nearly completely.


CONCLUSIONS
A retrosellar arachnoidal cyst can impair the visual pathway. Early fenestration prevents permanent damage.
Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde der Universität Leipzig.
M
M
Gau
A
A
Nestler
J
J
Dietrich
F
F
Faude
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016080:Arachnoid Cysts / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006423:Hemianopsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012658:Sella Turcica; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology