title: Treatment of a pontine neuroepithelial cyst by placement of a cystocisternal grommet.
abstract: We describe an 8-year-old girl who presented with cranial nerve compression due to a brainstem cyst adjacent to the fourth ventricle and describe the first documented insertion of a grommet to form a conduit between a neuroepithelial cyst and ventricle. The patient presented with diplopia and headaches and was found to have the cystic lesion in the right pons. The patient underwent craniotomy, aspiration and fenestration with subsequent recurrence 8 months later. Definitive treatment involved insertion of a grommet. Surgical treatment of symptomatic neuroepithelial cysts can achieve full resolution of neurological deficits. Insertion of a grommet, as distinct from a shunt or fenestration procedure, has the potential to provide long-term resolution of these symptoms without recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia. vsammons@med.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Vanessa J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Sammons
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kwok
mesh_terms: D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D020863:Central Nervous System Cysts / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011149:Pons / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*