title: Symptomatic supratentorial arachnoid cysts in children.
abstract: This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical and radiologic long-term outcome of symptomatic primary arachnoid cysts in pediatric patients. Thirty-three children, ranging from 2 months to 17 years of age (mean age, 6 years) were treated. Craniotomy and fenestration of the cyst were used for temporal fossa and midline cysts in 24 patients (73%); later, two patients required shunt placement. Shunting device implantation was performed for cerebral convexity cysts in nine patients (27%), and two patients required a subsequent craniotomy and fenestration of the cyst. Four patients (12%) required additional surgery because of clinical progression rather than for cyst enlargement. Eleven patients (33%) experienced a cyst reduction of more than 50% compared with the original size on imaging studies. There was a significant correlation with the alleviation of symptoms (P < 0.005), regardless of the treatment used. Complete alleviation of symptoms was achieved in all patients after treatment, regardless of cyst reduction. Long-term follow-up of 70 +/- 9.3 months demonstrated no recurrence of symptoms or progressive enlargement of the arachnoid cyst in all children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Nacional de Pediatría, Prof. Dr. J. P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galarza
authors.forename: Hugo B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Pomata
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pueyrredón
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartuluchi
authors.forename: Graciela N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Zuccaro
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Monges
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016080:Arachnoid Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003399:Craniotomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed