Importance of Ophthalmological Evaluation in the Conservative Management of Increased Intracranial Pressure from a Ruptured Arachnoid Cyst

ABSTRACT

Arachnoid cysts (ACs) are cerebrospinal fluid collections between the two layers of the normal arachnoid membrane. Although they are often asymptomatic with a stationary course, eventual complications may occur. Herein, we report the case of a 9-year-old boy who developed bilateral papilloedema secondary to spontaneous rupture of an AC in the left middle cranial fossa. Although the papilloedema worsened during follow-up, his visual field remained bilaterally stable, supporting the expectant management and obviating the potential morbidity associated with neurosurgical intervention. This case report highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to patients with secondary intracranial hypertension, including serial ophthalmological examinations, which provide a useful guide to surgical decision-making.

KEYWORDS:

• Arachnoid cyst
• papilloedema
• automated perimetry
• intracranial hypertension
• magnetic resonance imaging

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors reported that there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.