[Neuroendoscopic treatment for Rathke's cleft cyst: transventricular approach to suprasellar cystic lesion]

We report a case of a Rathke's cleft cyst, which was successfully treated by neuroendoscopy. The endoscopic procedure for the intra-suprasellar cystic lesion used the transventricular approach, similar to that of third ventriculostomy. A 66-year-old woman suffered from headache, nausea and constriction of the visual field. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on admission showed an intra-suprasellar cystic lesion. Biopsy of the cyst wall and fenestration of the floor of the third ventricle was performed using an endoscopic transventricular approach. The cyst content was totally aspirated, using a suction system which was connected to the operation channel of the endoscope. The histological diagnosis was Rathke's cleft cyst. No post-operative complication was observed. The endoscopic transventricular approach is safe and most suitable in terms of minimum invasiveness for the intrasuprasellar cystic lesion. We consider that neuroendoscopic transventricular approach will become the common surgical method of choice for treating a suprasellar cystic mass lesion.