Massive intracranial arachnoid cyst in a developmentally normal infant: Case report and literature review

Intracranial arachnoid cysts are developmental anomalies that are generally asymptomatic, We describe a 6-month-old boy with macrocephaly but normal neurological development who was found to have a rare, massive basal arachnoid cyst occupying most of the cranium and extending superiorly, causing significant shift due to mass effect. A cystoperitoneal shunt was placed, producing both a decrease in the arachnoid cyst dimensions and a concomitant reexpansion of parenchyma, After consideration of various management options, such a shunt system appears to offer a low risk of complications and a high likelihood of success. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc.