Endoscopic treatment of mesencephalic ependymal cysts: technical case report.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the results of different neuroendoscopic surgical procedures for the treatment of mesencephalic ependymal cysts.


METHODS
The clinical records of five patients treated for symptomatic mesencephalic ependymal cysts were retrospectively studied. Two patients had been operated on using an endoscope-assisted microsurgical technique and three patients using a pure endoscopic procedure.


RESULTS
Adequate fenestration of the cysts was achieved in all of the patients. Two of the patients were symptom-free, and the other three had improved significantly after a mean follow-up duration of 14 months. There was no surgical morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
Mesencephalic ependymal cysts can be treated adequately, resulting in a low morbidity rate, using neuroendoscopy or endoscope-assisted microsurgery. This specific surgical technique is presented.
van Lindert
E
E
Neurosurgical Department, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
Hopf
N
N
Perneczky
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D003560:Cysts / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004805:Ependyma / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000601:surgery*; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome