Subdural hydroma; A postoperative complication of desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma and astrocytoma: A report of two cases and literature review

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma (DIG) and desmoplastic infantile astrocytoma (DIA) are rare benign childhood intracranial tumors that are classified under neural and mixed glioneuronal tumors. Although many authors have written on surgical treatment of these disease conditions and indicated satisfactory outcomes, no author have written on the postoperative formation of a subdural hydroma after surgery. Case presentation We present two cases of DIG and DIA infants in whom we achieved total or subtotal tumor resection and observed postoperative hydroma as complications. Their main symptoms were vomiting, seizures and head enlargement. In both cases magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed huge solid-cystic mass located in left frontal, temporal and parietal lobes. Histopathological staining confirmed the diagnosis of DIG and DIA in both cases. A second surgery may be required in patients with this kind of postoperative complication if clinical and radiological imaging evaluation reveal deteriorating of the patient's condition otherwise conservative treatment usually gives a total resolution of this complication. Conclusion The pathophysiology of this occurrence after surgery is as the result of a potential space created after excision of tumor and subsequent influx of CSF into the potential space between the subdural.