Full scope of options

The purpose of Clinical Problem Solving articles is to present management challenges to give practicing neurosurgeons insight into how field leaders address these dilemmas. This illustration is accompanied by a brief review of the literature on the topic.

The case of a 16-year-old boy presenting with headaches is presented. The patient is found to have a typical colloid cyst at the foramen of Monro. Bilateral ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement had been performed as an initial treatment of the patient before presentation.

Surgeons experienced in open and endoscopic surgery discuss their individual approaches to colloid cysts, in the context of previous shunting, providing a varied perspective on the clinical challenges posed by these lesions.

Both open and endoscopic options remain viable for excision of a colloid cyst. Each has associated potential complications, as illustrated by the current case.