Expanding cava septi pellucidi and cava vergae in children: report of three cases

Three children with hydrocephalus and expanding cysts of the cavum septi pellucidi and cavum vergae are reported. In all the patients, the hydrocephalus was present before the persistent cava started to expand. The cava increased gradually, until they became cystic, but their growth did not affect the size of the ventricles. Two of the patients were treated with internal cystoventricular shunts, causing a prompt collapse of the cysts but no change in the concomitant hydrocephalus. In the third patient, the persistent cava started to expand only when a previously implanted ventriculoperitoneal shunt failed temporarily. The cyst disappeared when the shunt resumed its function. The possible mechanisms underlying the expansive growth of persistent cava are discussed. We propose the theory that the growth of the cava in our patients may be the result, rather than the cause, of the hydrocephalus.