Symptomatic ependymal cysts of the perimesencephalic and cerebello-pontineangle cisterns

Primary intracranial ependymal cysts are extremely rare. These are congenit al, benign ependyma lined, commonly intraparenchymal and uncommonly extrapa renchymal cysts in leptomeningeal location of variable size seen in the adu lt life. The authors report two cases of symptomatic ependymal cysts: one in the per imesencephalic cistern in a 10-month-old infant presenting with delayed mil e stones and another in the cerebellopontine cistern in a morbidly obese 35 -year-old woman with known benign intracranial hypertension now presenting with hemifacial spasm. Neurosurgical intervention was curative in both case s. Interesting clinical, radiological and histological features are present ed and discussed. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.