SPINAL DERMOID CYSTS ORIGINATING INTRACRANIAL FAT DROPS CAUSING OBSTRUCTIVE HYDROCEPHALUS - CASE-REPORTS

The authors report two cases of spinal dermoid cysts whose rupture ori ginated the migration of free fat drops into the ventricles and intrac ranial subarachnoid spaces. In both cases the fat drops caused obstruc tive hydrocephalus, which represents a quite exceptional complication. Moreover, one of the cases is unique, since the finding of intracrani al fat causing hydrocephalus considerably preceded the discovery of th e spinal neoplasm. The authors suggest that the finding of intracrania l fat in the absence of a local source makes the search for a intraspi nal dermoid or epidermoid tumor mandatory.