Therapeutic effects of two neurosurgical approaches on temporal medium-sized arachnoid cyst in pediatric patients

Objective To explore therapeutic effects of two different neurosurgical approaches on pediatric patients with arachnoid cyst. Methods Seventy-eight hospitalized pediatric patients with temporal medium-sized arachnoid cyst, admitted to our hospital and accepted neurosurgical operations from June 2012 to June 2014, were included in the study. Cyst-operitoneal shunting was performed in 41 patients whereas craniotomy in 37 patients. Follow-up was obtained for all the patients in a period of 3-24 months. Results The arachnoid cyst volume decreased in various degrees following either cyst-operitoneal shunting or craniotomy. The arachnoid cyst volume in the craniotomy group reduced more obviously than that in the cyst-operitoneal shunting group 3 months after operation, with significant difference (P 0.05). Furthermore, postoperative complications were seldom found among the patients, such as intracranial infection, lateral fissure vascular injury and excessive CSF shunting. Conclusions For temporal medium-sized arachnoid cyst, either craniotomy or shunting reduces arachnoid cyst volume in various degrees and improves the neurological symptoms in pediatric patients. However, the therapeutic effect shows difference in strength at various postoperative periods. Better effect is noted in earlier postoperative period for craniotomy, and in later postoperative period for cyst-operitoneal shunting. Key words: Arachnoid cyst; Neurosurgical approach; Children