Nasal endoscopy treats brain cyst that caused chronic headache and vision disorder
Amman2 min read
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A medical team performed a minimally invasive endoscopic nasal surgery to treat an arachnoid cyst above the pituitary gland, which had caused severe chronic headaches and elevated cerebrospinal fluid pressure, along with blurred vision and a reduced visual field due to pressure on the optic chiasm.
Consultant neurosurgeon Lieutenant Colonel Hamza Al-Khawaldeh said that the diagnosis of the case was based on laboratory tests and advanced imaging, which revealed the location and nature of the cyst, explaining that the area surrounding the pituitary gland is anatomically complex due to the presence of major arteries, cranial nerves, and overlapping brain structures, making surgical intervention there delicate.
Al-Khawaldeh explained that arachnoid cysts are congenital in most cases, originate from one of the meningeal membranes surrounding the brain, and contain cerebrospinal fluid. They often remain asymptomatic, but some may expand and cause pressure on neighboring structures, necessitating medical intervention.
He pointed out that endoscopic surgeries have brought about a development in treating skull base diseases, as they allow access to deep areas via natural pathways through the nostrils and sinuses, without the need for a large scalp incision or craniotomy and displacement of brain tissue to reach the site of the lesion.
He added that the use of the endoscope allows access to the target area in a less invasive manner, and limits the surgical procedures associated with traditional access to deep areas of the brain, which may require a craniotomy, opening the membranes surrounding the brain, and dealing with its tissues.
