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Anteromesial Temporal Lobectomy for Medically Intractable Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: An Operative Study
Published on: August 15, 2025
Ruptured temporal lobe arachnoid cyst presenting with severe back pain
Subash Lohani1, Richard L Robertson, Mark R Proctor
1Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts, USA. subash.lohani@childrens.harvard.edu
Journal of Neurosurgery. Pediatrics
|July 9, 2013
Summary
A pediatric arachnoid cyst ruptured, causing spinal and cranial subdural hematomas. Steroid treatment resolved symptoms and imaging findings, avoiding surgery.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Arachnoid cysts are common congenital anomalies in children, often asymptomatic but capable of causing symptoms like headaches.
- Rupture of arachnoid cysts, particularly after trauma, can lead to subdural hematomas.
Observation:
- An 11-year-old boy presented with severe back and leg pain.
- Imaging revealed a spinal subdural blood collection and a sylvian fissure arachnoid cyst with intracystic hemorrhage and frontoparietal subdural hematoma.
Findings:
- Intracystic hemorrhage and subdural hematomas associated with a pediatric arachnoid cyst.
- Successful non-surgical management with oral steroids.
- Resolution of cranial and spinal subdural collections and cyst size reduction.
Implications:
- This case highlights a rare presentation of a pediatric arachnoid cyst rupture.
- Non-surgical management with steroids can be effective for associated subdural hematomas.
- Early diagnosis and conservative treatment may prevent surgical intervention in select cases.
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