Ruptured intracranial dermoid cysts

BACKGROUND Intracranial dermoid cysts are rare congenital neoplasms that are believed to arise from ectopic cell rests incorporated in the closing neural tube. The rupture of an intracranial dermoid cyst is a relatively rare event that typically occurs spontaneously. In the past it was believed that rupture is always fatal, a hypothesis that is not supported by more recently reported cases, The symptoms associated with rupture vary from no symptoms to sudden death. METHODS The present paper analyzes published cases of ruptured intracranial dermoid cysts in terms of their age profile and their clinical presentation and describes an additional case. RESULTS Analysis of published cases revealed headache (14 out of 44 patients; 31.8%) and seizures (13 out of 44 patients; 29.5%), to be the most common signs of rupture followed by, often temporary, sensory or motor hemisyndrome (7 out of 44 patients; 15.9%), and chemical meningitis (3 out of 44 patients; 6.9%). CONCLUSION Headache occurred primarily in younger patients (mean age 23.5 +/- 9.3 years), whereas seizures primarily occurred in older patients (mean age 42.8 +/- 11.3 years). The patients with sensory or motor hemisyndrome associated with rupture of an intracranial dermoid cyst showed a more homogeneous age distribution (mean age 38.4 +/- 23.5 years). (C) 2002 by Elsevier Science Inc.