A 47-year-old man, with a history of primary systemic hypertension and anxiety disorder with agoraphobia, was admitted in our department with acute-onset speech impediment and loss of strength in the right side of his body, accompanied by headache, vomiting, and deterioration of his level of consciousness. A Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 8 [E2, V2, M4 (E: Eye response, V: Verbal response; M: Motor response)] and a right-sided hemiplegia were noted during his initial assessment in the emergency room. His arterial blood pressure was found to be 210–140 mmHg. Acute obstructive hydrocephalus due to a rounded hyperdense mass within the third ventricle was revealed on the emergency brain computed tomography (CT), in addition to a moderate size acute hematoma in the left basal ganglia [Figure and ]. The immediate placement of an external ventricular drainage in the frontal horn of the right ventricle allowed controlled evacuation of blood-stained CSF and alleviation of intracranial hypertension (initial value of 32 mmHg). After clinically stabilizing the patient, a presumed diagnosis of a colloid cyst within the third ventricle was made by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) []. The tumoral lesion was completely removed 2 days later through a right far lateral interhemispheric transcallosal approach.[] Pathological analysis of the lesion confirmed the diagnosis of a colloid cyst with vascular congestion and foci of acute bleeding within its wall []. The patient developed postoperative bifrontal pneumocephalus that spontaneously resolved itself over a period of several days. Once the CSF pathways’ permeability was restored, the ventricular drain was removed with favorable evolution. Follow-up MRI study confirmed total resection of the lesion []. Right-sided hemiparesis (3/5) with impaired propioception and a mixed type sensitive and motor disphasia persisted at the latest follow-up assessment 1 year after surgery. Neuropsychological assesment revealed bradipsychia, anosognosia, as well as attention, concentration, and working memory significant deficits.
A 41-year-old gentleman presented to the eye clinic complaining of seeing floaters before both eyes since 2 weeks. On questioning, he admitted getting intermittent dull headache of mild to moderate intensity and dizziness on and off while walking since 2 months. There was no associated nausea or vomiting or other neurological symptoms. He was detected to be a hypertensive few months ago and was on treatment with lisinopril 5-mg daily.\nOcular examination revealed a best-corrected Snellen's visual acuity of 6/6 p in both eyes. Anterior segment examination showed exotropia of about 45° in left eye that was alternating. Rest of anterior segment examination including intraocular pressure was normal. Fundoscopy of the right eye revealed early vitreous hemorrhage. The disc showed slight blurring of margins associated with peripapillary retinal hemorrhages []. Fundus examination of the left eye showed early vitreous hemorrhage and blurring of disc margin. There was a small area of preretinal hemorrhage inferior to the disc []. B scan ultrasound also confirmed early vitreous hemorrhage.\nA diagnosis of bilateral early disc edema with mild vitreous hemorrhage was made, and he was investigated. Contrast-enhanced CT scan of brain showed a well-defined oval nonenhancing hyperdense lesion measuring 2 × 1.9 × 2.3 cm at the anterosuperior aspect of third ventricle bulging through the right foramen of Monro and compressing the left foramen of Monro causing dilatation of both lateral ventricles with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) seepage []. Fourth ventricle appeared normal. Moderate 0.8-cm midline shift was also seen to the left side.\nA presumptive diagnosis of colloid cyst causing moderate obstructive hydrocephalus was made, and he was referred urgently to the department of neurosurgery. He underwent emergency craniotomy and cyst excision. Histopathological examination of the excised tissue showed cyst contents lined by cyst wall lined by ciliated cuboidal epithelium resting on fibrocollagenous tissue consistent with colloid cyst. Postoperative CT scan showed pneumocephalus and subdural collection in the right frontotemporal region that resolved spontaneously after few days.\nThe patient improved symptomatically following surgery. On follow-up after 1 month, he reported complete resolution of floaters and headache.\nFundus evaluation showed resolving vitreous hemorrhage and disc edema. Follow-up after 3 months showed complete resolution of disc edema and vitreous hemorrhage [Figure and ]. He is being followed up closely for recurrence of symptoms. He has remained asymptomatic for the last 18 months after the intervention.