Cerebellopontine angle arachnoid cyst.mpg

Fenestration of an arachnoid cyst of the posterior fossa to the superior and inferior cerebellopontine cisterns via a left retrosigmoid approach.
Surgery by Dallenga and Dammers; Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Arachnoid cyst
• microscopy
• microsurgery
• neurosurgery
• posterior fossa
• cerebellopontine angle
• cistern
• retrosigmoid

[Jorgeroots]

i have a retrocerebellar arachnoid cyst, and when i was a children did not have any Constitutional symptoms, only when I reached 19, 20, began to notice a great lack of balance, sensation of sinking when sitting and a little lack of motor cordination and head pressure in nape, I went to a neurologist and diagnosed a cyst on MRI, posterior fossa, pressing the cerebellum, this girl had operated and the resolution of symptoms ocurred ?

[fornix00]

@Jorgeroots

Unfortunately, the symptoms did not resolve completely, but she is out and about and feels she has a better life since surgery. These arachnoid cysts, when posing symptoms, are not easy to treat. Surgery is only indicated when the symptoms experienced can be explained by the cyst and nothing other.

[bambis46]

In the video it shows a hole with a fine membrane over it, is the membrane the cyst? And if so, why wouldn't they cut out the WHOLE cyst? Also what is the little white cylinder that they put in there?

I hope that this didn't grow back, must have been painful! Are there chances of this coming back? and 1 last question - promise LOL - what IS the cyst made of? Liquid, puss, skin debris, fat etc.

[fornix00]

@bambis46 The cyst is made out of normal cerebrospinal fluid (brain fluid), and in this case the protein content is somewhat higher than normal. To resect the whole cyst is not wise, since by fenestrating it there is normal circulation of cerebrospinal fluid again. Furthermore, you might damage the cranial nerves and cerebellum by trying to peal the cyst wall off. The white cilinder is a reservoir with a drain into the cyst, so that when needed it can be drained externally or to the peritoneum.

[bambis46]

@fornix00 Thankyou for that! I now understand why they can't remove the sac. So what happens with that tissue? Is there a chance that this could cause problems for the patient? Like skin cancer and other growths, you have to cut around the edges of the growth to stop it growing back, so wouldn't this be the case also? Or is it more about taking a chance that it wont, and HAVING to do the operation regardless? I am FASCINATED with the brilliance of doctors and surgeons!

[fornix00]

@bambis46 The wall consists of normal arachnoid membrane. It looks somewhat like a spider's web, hence the name. It is a physiological structure, so no chance on any kind of neoplasms whatsoever.

[GeneStarwind09]

@Jorgeroots I have actually had some co-ordination problems (nothing greatly serious) for most of my life as I was diagnosed with a condition called dyspraxia when a few years old. It's possible I had the cyst then, but I don't know. If I had, why would the seizures just come in the past few years? I've seen a specialist and they'll be studying me for a couple of weeks next year, and I'm also being sent to get my cyst scanned with a new type of MRI.

How are things on your end?

[Jorgeroots]

@GeneStarwind09

probably the cyst cause the seizures, my cyst is retrocerebelar and i have cerebellar caracteristics symtoms, like balance, posture, gait.

[Jorgeroots]

@fornix00

what the symptoms this girl has before the surgery !?

[TheElephant79]

Gezz f christ !