Intracranial Cysts: A Single-Institution Experience With 27 Surgically Managed Cases

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Neuropathology
• Radiology

Background:

• Intracranial cysts (ICs) are rare, often incidental findings with diverse origins.
• Symptoms range from asymptomatic to severe complications like hydrocephalus.
• Surgical excision is the primary management for most intracranial cysts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate clinical, radiological, histopathological, and surgical outcomes of 27 surgically managed intracranial cysts.
• To enhance the understanding and management of these rare, benign intracranial cysts.
• To correlate radiological features with preoperative diagnosis and surgical results.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 27 surgically managed intracranial cysts with pathological confirmation.
• Exclusion of extracranial and nonsurgically managed cysts.
• Analysis of demographic, clinical, radiological, surgical, and follow-up data using JMP Pro software.

Main Results:

• The cohort included colloid cysts (40.74%), epidermoid cysts (22.22%), and craniopharyngiomas (18.51%), among others.
• Gross total resection was achieved in 51.85% of cases; 81.48% showed symptom improvement.
• Postoperative complications occurred in 55.56% of cases, with a recurrence rate of 11.11%.

Conclusions:

• Surgical management of intracranial cysts generally leads to symptom improvement and low recurrence.
• Distinct clinical and radiological features characterize different intracranial cyst types.
• Accurate preoperative diagnosis based on radiological features is vital for optimal surgical outcomes.