Tension Pneumoventricle After Endoscopic Transsphenoidal Surgery for Rathke Cleft Cyst

Tension pneumoventricle is an extremely rare, but treatable, neurosurgical emergency. The prompt and accurate diagnosis of tension pneumoventricle requires vigilance for the detection of clinical signs, which should also be corroborated by the imaging findings. We have reported on the pathophysiology of tension pneumoventricle and its management.

A 66-year-old woman had presented with a Rathke cleft cyst. The patient underwent transsphenoidal surgery (TSS), with no clinical cerebrospinal fluid leakage observed peri- or postoperatively. However, she developed an altered mental status 8 hours after surgery, and a computed tomography scan showed evidence of a tension pneumoventricle. The patient underwent emergent external ventricular drainage insertion and exploratory endoscopic TSS. A 1-way valve was observed during TSS, and the sella floor was packed with a fat graft for 1-way valve obliteration. The patient recovered well without neurologic deficits. No radiologic regrowth was noted at the 48-month follow-up examination.

Tension pneumoventricle is an extremely rare, but life-threatening, complication of TSS. The development of tension pneumoventricle should be kept in mind even when the surgery has proceeded very smoothly. Sellar reconstruction will, theoretically, prevent this extremely rare complication but might increase the recurrence rate of Rathke cleft cysts. The related symptoms and signs should be recognized. Prompt recognition and treatment of this condition can be life-saving, and the long-term outcomes have generally been favorable if the condition has been recognized early.