Ventrally placed craniovertebral junction arachnoid cysts in children: a report of 2 cases and literature review.
BACKGROUND
Arachnoid cysts at the craniovertebral junction are uncommon, and all the reported cases had location posterior to the brain stem. We describe 2 cases of ventral arachnoid cysts among children.


METHODS
Two children, in their first decades of life, presented with spastic quadriparesis without complaints of raised intracranial pressure. Magnetic resonance imaging showed large, ventrally located cystic lesions compressing the brain stem and extending from posterior fossa to the lower level of C4 vertebra. Both patients underwent surgery via midline posterior fossa approach and fenestration of cysts along with partial excision. Both patients made complete recovery and are asymptomatic in the long-term outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Ventral arachnoid cysts at the craniovertebral junction present in the pediatric age group because of compression of corticospinal tracts. These patients have good long-term outcome after fenestration and partial cyst excision.
Mohindra
Sandeep
S
Department of Neurosurgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India. satya_sandee@yahoo.com
Gupta
Sunil Kumar
SK
Chhabra
Rajesh
R
Gupta
Rahul
R
Kumar
Anand
A
Radotra
Bishan Dass
BD
D016080:Arachnoid Cysts / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology