Results of surgical treatment of symptomatic cysts of lateral fissure in children

Aim. The study aims to analyze the clinical and radiological results of treating arachnoid cysts of lateral fissure, which present a frequent pathology accounting for 30-50% of all brain arachnoid cysts. At present, the strategy of surgical treatment is controversial. For a long time, treatment included both microsurgical and shunt operations, however, in modern neurosurgery many authors prefer endoscopic techniques or endoscopic-assisted microsurgery. Determining the indications for intervention also remains disputable. Some authors tend to believe that "preventive" surgery of asymptomatic arachnoid cysts of lateral fissure with minimal clinical manifestations is also debatable. Methods. 22 pediatric patients underwent surgery at Novosibirsk Center of Neurosurgery from 2013 to 2015. Successful interventions by using mostly an endoscopic approach were carried out in 18 (81.8%) patients resulting in regression of clinical symptoms. A positive effect was not achieved in 4 (18.1 %) patients with primary endoscopic cysto-cisternostomy who required additional operations. Conclusion. Endoscopic fenestration in our series is a safe, effective and minimally invasive procedure of the first stage of treatment in patients with a symptomatic arachnoid cyst of lateral fissure.