Analysis about the result of cystoperitoneal shunt for the treatment of arachnoid cysts in children

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of cystoperitoneal shunt in surgical management of intracranial arachnoid cyst.Methods Between January 2003 and January 2005,62patients with arachnoid cysts underwent cystoperitoneal shunt in our institute.All patients were evaluated with CT or MRI and had regular follow-up examinations.Results 46 patients were (74％) cysts within the sylvian fissure,8 patients (13％) were in the cerebral convexity,8 patients (13％) were infratentorial.Cystoperitoneal shunt was placed in all patients; Follow-up imaging studies showed that the size of arachnoid cysts was reduced in 59 patients (95％) during a mean postoperative follow-up period of 6.5years (range,6 to 8 years).Although a cystoperitoneal shunt was the effective method for early achieving obliteration,there were 16 shunt-related complications,including 8 patients suffered from typical symptom of pseudotumor cerebri with a shunt malfunction suggesting shunt dependency.Conclusions Shunt placement is a safe and effective surgical treatment of symptomatic arachnoid cysts in children.Efforts should be made to decrease the complication of the shunt of arachnoid cysts. Key words: Arachnoid cyst; Children; Shunt