Percutaneous sump drainage: a palliation for oft-recurring intracranial cystic lesions

Eleven cystic lesions comprising four craniopharyngiomas, six astrocytomas, and one pinealoma, which at operation were presumed to be unamenable to radical excision, were treated by partial resection, insertion of a sump drainage, and postoperative radiotherapy. As a consequence of this relatively simple operative procedure there were no serious complications, and every patient recovered fully from preoperative neurologic deficit. Whenever the symptoms recurred the subcutaneous reservoir provided a readily available access for needle puncture to relieve the raised intracranial pressure. On each occasion, after aspiration of the accumulated cyst fluid, each patient showed marked improvement within 48 hours. Pertinent literature is reviewed and possible other applications of sump drainage are discussed.