title: Surgical management strategies of intracranial arachnoid cysts: a single institution experience of 75 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Arachnoid cysts are benign intra-arachnoid cystic lesions filled with     cerebrospinal fluid. With advent of modern treatment techniques, debate     continues regarding which surgical treatment is most effective. MATERIAL and
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive series of 75 patients with arachnoid cysts that were     surgically treated between January 1992 and December 2009 are reported. Included     in the study were 54 male and 21 female patients, ranging in age from 2 months     to 45 years (mean age 20.02 years) at the time of surgery. Symptoms at     presentation, location on the cysts, and treatment modalities were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Headache was controlled in 92.5% of adult cases. Hydrocephalus,     cognitive decline weakness and gait disturbances were controlled 100% after     overall treatment methods. Follow-up CT scans showed significant reduction in     cyst size in supratentorial arachnoid cysts. No significant changes in cyst size     were found in infratentorial cysts but symptomatic improvements were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with symptomatic arachnoid cysts regardless of age and cyst     location should be treated. We think that avoiding shunt dependence should be     one of the principle treatment goals. Proper patient selection results in good     outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duz
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daneyemez
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gonul
mesh_terms: D016080:Arachnoid Cysts / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006408:Hematoma, Subdural / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008581:Meningitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult