Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026
11:58
Minimally Invasive Thumb-sized Pterional Craniotomy for Surgical Clip Ligation of Unruptured Anterior Circulation Aneurysms
Published on: August 11, 2015
15.7K
Intraventricular Craniopharyngiomas-Overcoming Their Relative Inaccessibility: Institutional Experience With a Review
Chandrashekhar Deopujari1, Sanjay Behari2, Krishna Shroff1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences, Mumbai, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, India.
Frontiers in Neurology
|December 6, 2021
Summary
Intraventricular craniopharyngiomas (IVCrs) often present with increased intracranial pressure. Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery is ideal for these challenging tumors, with radiotherapy offering good long-term outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Oncology
- Radiology
Background:
- Craniopharyngiomas are rare intracranial neoplasms, accounting for 2-4% of all brain tumors.
- Intraventricular craniopharyngiomas (IVCrs) represent a rare subtype, posing unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
- Understanding the specific clinical, imaging, and management features of IVCrs is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the distinct clinical presentations, imaging characteristics, management strategies, and surgical outcomes of intraventricular craniopharyngiomas (IVCrs).
- To evaluate the efficacy of different surgical approaches, including microsurgery and endoscopic techniques, for IVCrs.
- To assess the long-term results and recurrence patterns following treatment for IVCrs.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of histopathologically confirmed IVCrs cases from two tertiary care institutions (January 1994 - June 2021).
- Image analysis based on established criteria to define solely intraventricular lesions.
- Review of clinical data, surgical procedures (microsurgery, endoscopic, or combined), and treatment outcomes, including recurrence and adjuvant therapies.
Main Results:
- Twenty-five patients (mean age 35.4 years) presented primarily with headache (84%) and signs of raised intracranial pressure (72%).
- Fifteen tumors were predominantly cystic, two solid, and eight mixed. Surgical approaches included open microsurgery (72%), endoscopic (28%), or combined methods.
- Complete excision was achieved in 10 patients; recurrence occurred in five (20%) over a median follow-up of 36 months. Radiotherapy demonstrated effectiveness in managing recurrences.
Conclusions:
- Purely intraventricular craniopharyngiomas typically manifest with raised intracranial pressure, with visual disturbances being less common.
- Minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted surgery is recommended due to the deep-seated location and limited surgical access, despite challenges with adherence to critical structures.
- IVCrs show responsiveness to radiotherapy, contributing to favorable long-term prognoses, particularly for cystic lesions.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Increased Intracranial Pressure l: Introduction
Intracranial hypertension is a sustained elevation of intracranial pressure (ICP) above 22 mm Hg. In supine adults, normal ICP is ~7–15 mm Hg.The rigid, nonexpandable cranium contains three components—brain tissue, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)—that total ~1,700 mL in a typical adult: 1,400 mL brain (~80%), 150 mL blood (~10%), and 150 mL CSF (~10%). According to the Monro–Kellie doctrine, total intracranial volume is effectively fixed. When one component expands, CSF and venous blood...
01:29Increased Intracranial Pressure ll: Pathophysiology
Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) refers to a potentially life-threatening rise in pressure inside the skull. This usually happens when there is a major change in the volume of brain tissue, blood, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — the three components inside the skull. According to the Monro-Kellie doctrine, if the volume of one component increases, the volumes of the other components must decrease to maintain normal pressure. If this does not happen, ICP rises.The process often begins with...