The main danger of a cyst is that it appears most often in the brain. This human organ is the most vulnerable and it is easy to damage it with any bruises. What then to say about the neoplasm? Of course, if the cerebrospinal fluid cyst arose elsewhere, it would not have received so much attention. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that in most cases it is asymptomatic, and is detected by chance. Such a formation can develop in any part of the brain. It should be noted that this type of cyst is quite rare.
What is this?
Liquor cyst - a cavity filled with fluid. This education belongs to the category of benign. It is worth noting that the cyst has nothing to do with tumors, but sometimes it is called that for convenience. This formation can appear in people of any age. A cyst is found in a fetus that has not yet been born, if certain problems appeared during the formation of the embryo.
In addition, it can occur in a newborn child as a result of an injury received during birth, or an infection that has penetrated intobody immediately after birth. As for adults, their formations can be congenital or acquired. Most often, a cyst appears after a traumatic brain injury or stroke.
Classification of formations. Arachnoid cyst
Most often there are two main types: arachnoid (cerebrospinal fluid) cyst and retrocerebellar. Let's consider them in more detail. In fact, the names speak for themselves. For example, arachnoid membranes and liquor cisterns are involved in the development of an arachnoid cyst, as a result of which a new name appeared. The cerebrospinal fluid cyst is characterized by the fact that it forms arachnoid membranes in the tanks, which are stretched as a result of the development of education.
In men, a cyst of this kind is diagnosed much more often than in the fairer sex. Education can be both innate (true) and acquired. A cyst is very difficult to diagnose, since a person does not feel any changes in his body. With a congenital ailment, education can remind of itself until the age of 20-22, and then show no signs at all. A CSF cyst sometimes causes nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, and epileptic seizures.
Retrocebellar cyst
This formation is dangerous, as it appears inside the medulla. It occurs at the site of dead cells of the nervous tissue. It turns out that the appearance of a cyst is preceded by some events that caused the death of cells. Most often they become:
- serious traumatic brain injury;
- ischemic brain disease associated with oxygen starvation;
- a brain infarction that kills a large number of cells, which contributes to the development of a cyst;
- inflammation in the brain area.
The nature and clinic of a cyst largely depend on the causes that caused it. Thus, the appearance of education after a stroke is a favorable outcome. It is found during an MRI or after the death of a person. As a rule, people do not feel any problems in their body due to cysts. Symptoms only appear if it continues to grow and increase in size.
Signs of illness
As already noted, things are rather complicated with this moment. The presence in the brain of something superfluous may not manifest itself in any way. However, it is still worth paying special attention to some signs. They are not among the most serious, so people simply do not notice them.
Symptoms of CSF cyst appearance:
- hearing problems;
- impaired vision, i.e. fog, double vision, spots, etc.;
- paralysis;
- pain in the head;
- dizziness, incoordination, loss of balance;
- periodic convulsions;
- numbness of body limbs.
These are the main signs that you should rely on when diagnosing an ailment. In addition, in some cases, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, weakness, and insomnia are observed. If a cystbegins to increase, a person feels an extra object in the brain at the physiological level. Despite seeming safety, a cyst can lead to serious consequences.
What is the danger of a CSF cyst?
The greatest danger is the risk of increasing the size of education. There is also a possibility of developing intracranial hypertension, which is a rather unpleasant ailment. If you ignore the presence of a cyst that has been discovered, you can fall prey to huge he alth problems. In extreme cases, cerebral edema may develop. This is due to the incorrect location of the stem structures and their infringement in the foramen magnum. Such a development of events leads to circulatory and respiratory disorders, and, accordingly, to death.
Retrocerebellar arachnoid CSF cyst is no less dangerous. Moreover, this education tends to grow rapidly. Since the cyst is usually located in the posterior cranial fossa, its enlargement will lead to irreversible consequences. Therefore, do not underestimate this ailment, and if any signs appear, you should immediately contact a specialist.
Benign neoplasms in children
As already noted, this disease can occur in people of any age, as well as in children who have not yet been born. Most often this happens due to problems during pregnancy or in connection with an injury during childbirth. For the same reasons, a cyst can form in newborns. In addition, the possibility of getting infections in the child's body is added here. They lead to circulatory failure of the brain, resulting in ischemia or hypoxia.
Nervous tissue will die, and gradually fluid will begin to accumulate in these places, which will interfere with the CSF pathways. As a result, the child will begin to suffer from hydrocephalus, which will lead to a delay in the growth and development of the offspring. As for the place of education, in childhood it can be absolutely anything. The best option is to diagnose the disease in infancy and remove it surgically.
Diagnosis
To distinguish a malignant tumor from a benign one, it is necessary to carry out a number of diagnostic measures. Thanks to them, you can determine the location of the cyst, shape and size. For the most accurate identification of the problem, the following methods are used:
- X-ray skull;
- computed tomography (CT) of the brain;
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain;
- blood test for infections.
MRI is considered to be the most effective way. Education of this kind can appear in any person, regardless of gender or age. Most often, the size of the CSF cyst is 23 x 5 x 3 mm. However, it can be either more or less, it depends on the specific case.
If there is a first suspicion of a neoplasm, it is best to do a CT scan. This approach will answer the main question - what is the nature of education? This iseasy to do, because the cyst does not accumulate contrast, while the malignant neoplasm is clearly visible on the pictures.
Treatment of CSF cyst with medicines
It is worth noting that this type of therapy is relevant only if the formation in the brain is small. Doctors most often prescribe the following types of drugs:
- absorbable;
- normalizing blood pressure;
- antioxidants;
- lowering cholesterol.
These medicines are aimed at preventing the development of diseases, as well as eliminating the cyst. At their discretion, the specialist may recommend taking antiviral drugs. No need to self-medicate, because ignorance can lead to irreversible consequences. Specific medications and their dosage are prescribed only by a doctor. For the most effective treatment, it is better to stick to the course of therapy.
Surgical treatment
This method is suitable for removing large cysts. Also, if the mass increases and shows symptoms, surgery is also recommended. It comes in four varieties:
- trepanation of the skull;
- cyst bypass;
- drainage;
- endoscopy.
Craniotomy is the most effective method of all listed. However, there is one drawback - during this operation there is a high probability of injury. Shunting, that is, removing fluid, is a less dangerous surgical procedure. But in the processsurgery can get infected, and there will be complications.
Endoscopy is rarely used. As for drainage, this method is not entirely reliable. There were cases when, after such an operation, the patient had a second relapse.
Consequences
Small cerebrospinal fluid cyst does not pose a danger to human he alth. If you find one, you need to regularly undergo examinations and monitor the general condition of the body. The real threat is the cyst, which is increasing in size. Then surgery is recommended.
The most dangerous consequence of this disease may be a gap in education. In this case, the liquid is poured into the cranial box, resulting in a powerful intoxication, and then the pulse stops.
Cyst in the temporal lobes
Why does pathology develop? The cerebrospinal fluid cyst in the right and left temporal lobes increases due to concussions, inflammation of the meninges, and circulatory disorders. Surgical intervention in this case will not be enough, it is necessary to identify and deal with the cause of the formation.
CSF cyst of the temporal lobe tends to come back again and again after elimination. In order to avoid such situations, you need to take drugs aimed at restoring the body's defense system. Doctors prescribe different medications for specific situations. For example, to restore cerebral circulation,blood thinners should be taken. If there is a lack of oxygen and you need to improve metabolic processes, experts recommend taking antioxidants and nootropics. For resorption of adhesions of the membranes of the brain, doctors recommend the use of special drugs like Karipain.
