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Intraventricular colloid cyst, hydrocephalus and neurogenic stunned myocardium

Adrian A Jarquin-Valdivia1, Austin T Rich, Jodie L Yarbrough

  • 1Department of Neurology, Neurocritical Care Unit, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2100 Pierce Avenue MCS308, Nashville, TN 37212, USA. adrian.a.jarquin-valdivia@vanderbilt.edu

Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery
|July 19, 2005
PubMed

Insights

A colloid cyst caused hydrocephalus and cardiac arrest in a patient, leading to neurogenic stunned myocardium. This condition, characterized by cardiac dysfunction, can be fatal and is linked to increased intracranial pressure.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cardiology
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Colloid cysts are rare tumors that can cause obstructive hydrocephalus.
  • Neurogenic stunned myocardium is a form of cardiac dysfunction triggered by neurological events.

Observation:

  • A case of a 33-year-old woman with a third ventricle colloid cyst presenting with hydrocephalus and cardiac arrest.
  • The patient exhibited symptoms consistent with neurogenic stunned myocardium, including reduced ejection fraction and abnormal wall motion.

Findings:

  • The patient's cardiac dysfunction resolved within a week after the acute event.
  • Coronary angiography revealed normal coronary arteries, ruling out ischemic heart disease.
  • Successful tumor resection was performed, with full functional recovery at 10 months.

Implications:

  • Sudden death in colloid cyst patients may be attributed to acute neurogenic cardiac dysfunction rather than cerebral herniation.
  • Elevated intracranial pressure can activate a neuroendocrine response leading to myocardial stunning.
  • This case highlights the critical interplay between neurological and cardiac systems in neurocritical care.
Abstract

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