Endoscopic fenestration of a cerebellopontine angle arachnoid cyst resulting in complete recovery from sensorineural hearing loss and facial nerve palsy

Abstract

Cerebellopontine angle arachnoid cysts are usually asymptomatic, but are frequently found incidentally because of increased use of neuroimaging. Nevertheless, as these cysts enlarge, they may compress surrounding structures and cause neurological symptoms. Patients may present with vague, nonspecific symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo. Cranial nerve palsies, including sensorineural hearing loss and facial weakness, although rare, have also been reported in association with posterior fossa arachnoid cysts. Although surgery for these entities is controversial, arachnoid cysts can be treated surgically with open craniotomy for cyst removal, fenestration into adjacent arachnoid spaces, shunting of cyst contents, or endoscopic fenestration. Reversal of sensorineural hearing loss following open craniotomy treatment has been described in the literature in only 1 adult and 1 pediatric case. Improvement in facial weakness has also been reported after open craniotomy and arachnoid cyst fenestration. The authors report the first case of complete recovery from sensorineural hearing loss and facial weakness following endoscopic fenestration in a patient with a cerebellopontine angle arachnoid cyst.