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Updated: Jul 24, 2025
Author Spotlight: A Single-Entry Point Endoscopic Intraventricular Approach for Third Ventriculostomy and Pineal Biopsy
Published on: June 28, 2024
Endoscope-assisted microsurgical resection of a third ventricular immature teratoma
Ehab El Refaee1,2, Steffen Fleck3, Marc Matthes3
1Department of Neurosurgery, University Medicine Greifswald, Sauerbruchstrasse, Greifswald, Germany. e.elrefaee@googlemail.com.
Background:
Reaching a tumor within the third ventricle is challenging, and planning an accessible trajectory is crucial without injuring the surrounding structures. We report a 5-year-old boy presented with headache and a seizure where sequential MRI brain studies in a short time period revealed a rapid growing immature teratoma within the third ventricle with hydrocephalic changes. Several management procedures were performed for CSF diversion and medical treatment of the tumor with chemotherapy and stem cell therapy. The tumor was rapidly growing, and surgical excision was decided. Total resection was achieved via endoscope-assisted microsurgical transcallosal approach. Seven years after surgery, the patient experienced no recurrence of the tumor with a favorable clinical condition.
Conclusion:
We report a rare case of posterior third ventricular immature teratoma where the endoscope-assisted microsurgical technique was implemented with favorable long-term postoperative outcome.
Insights
A rare pediatric third ventricular immature teratoma was successfully resected using an endoscope-assisted microsurgical transcallosal approach. This technique provided a favorable long-term outcome with no tumor recurrence in a 5-year-old patient.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurosurgery
- Neuro-oncology
- Surgical neurology
Background:
- Third ventricular tumors pose significant surgical challenges due to proximity to critical structures.
- Rapidly growing immature teratomas in the third ventricle require timely and effective management.
- A 5-year-old boy presented with hydrocephalus secondary to a rapidly growing immature teratoma.
