Quistes aracnoideos del sistema nervioso central. Algoritmos y recomendaciones generales de manejo

La neuroendoscopia: una técnica revolucionaria en el campo de la neurocirugía

La neuroendoscopia es un procedimiento mínimamente invasivo que se desarrolló a principios del siglo pasado y tiene importancia en el campo de la neurocirugía, representa un método innovador ya que aporta una amplia visualización de las estructuras anatómicas con mínimo traumatismo del tejido nervioso, contribuyendo al diagnóstico y tratamiento de diversas afecciones intra y extracraneales. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica con el propósito de identificar, analizar y describir algunas patologías neuroquirúrgicas que se han tratado bajo neuroendoscopia, así como los aportes más relevantes en cirugía pediátrica y de columna, con el fin de exponer el impacto que ha tenido esta técnica en el desarrollo de la cirugía moderna.

Neuroendoscopic treatment of arachnoid cysts in the paediatric population. Series results for 20 patients

INTRODUCTION

Neuroendoscopy has become an effective and safe treatment for arachnoid cysts in the paediatric population. We review the paediatric patients with arachnoid cysts treated by neuroendoscopy in our hospital and analyse the results.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 20 patients operated on from 2005 to 2018. The variables assessed are: gender, age, clinical presentation, cyst site, presence of hydrocephalus and/or extra-axial collections, endoscopic procedures and complications. Procedure success is defined as an improvement in symptoms and reduction in cyst size until end of follow-up.

RESULTS

Our series comprised 13 males and 7 females (mean age: 64.6 months, range: 4-172 months). The most frequent site was suprasellar-prepontine (7), followed by intraventricular (6), quadrigeminal (3), interhemispheric (2) and Sylvian (2). A total of 70% (14/20) of patients had hydrocephalus at diagnosis, which increased to 85% in suprasellar-prepontine cysts and 100% in quadrigeminal cysts. Only 4/14 patients with required a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (median age at diagnosis: 12.5 months). Of these 4 patients, 3 developed severe shunt overdrainage. The procedure was successful in 60% (12/20) of the patients in the series. Success by location was 57% (4/7) in suprasellar cysts, 33% (1/3) in quadrigeminal cysts, 66% (4/6) in intraventricular cysts, 100% (2/2) in interhemispheric cysts and 50% (1/2) in Sylvian cysts. Treatment thus failed in 8 cases, with a mean time to failure of 12.12 months (range: 0-45 months). A new neuroendoscopic procedure was performed in 4 of these 8 cases (success in 2/4), a ventriculoperitoneal shunt was placed in 2 cases, a cystoperitoneal shunt was placed in 1 case and the remaining case was managed conservatively. Mean follow-up time was 52.45 months (range: 3-129 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Neuroendoscopy is an effective and safe treatment for arachnoid cysts in paediatric patients that also enables managing associated hydrocephalus in most cases. The choice of neuroendoscopic procedure and success rate depend on cyst location. Younger patients have been found to have a higher shunt dependency rate. In these cases, measures to prevent shunt overdrainage are recommended.

The tethered effect of the arachnoid in vago-glossopharyngeal neuralgia: a real associated alternative mechanism?

Vago-glossopharyngeal neuralgia (VGPN) is a rarely seen disease when compared to trigeminal neuralgia. When the pain is resistant to medical therapy, microvascular decompression can be performed if a vascular conflict is suspected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, arachnoid pathology may play a role in VGPN. We report two cases of VGPN caused by tethered arachnoid, associated with a vascular contact in which pain was reduced by freeing rootlets from arachnoid compression. We report two cases relating to 50-year-old and 30-year-old men with a history of electric shooting pain triggered by swallowing in the right pharyngeal and auricular regions. Preoperative MRI documented a neurovascular conflict in the first case and an arachnoid cyst in the second. Surgery was performed via a retrosigmoid craniotomy. In both cases, the intraoperative findings documented a tethered arachnoid membrane compressive to cranial nerves IX and X. Untethering was performed by liberation of the rootlets from the arachnoid with microvascular decompression. No additional rhizotomy was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful and pain was relieved in the first case and decreased in the second. In VGPN, a tethered arachnoid may play a role in causing the neuralgia, either alone or associated with a neuro-vascular conflict.