Diagnosis and treatment of arachnoid cyst complicated with subdural hematoma in children.

The present study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of arachnoid cyst complicated with subdural hematoma in children. Clinical characteristics of arachnoid cyst complicated with subdural hematoma in children were summarized by retrospectively analyzing the clinical data of 25 patients, including their onset characteristics, presence or absence of inducing factors, clinical manifestations, and imaging features. All patients underwent craniotomy for subdural hematoma removal along with arachnoid cystectomy. Following the surgical procedure, all 25 patients showed significant improvements in preoperative symptoms, without any severe complications, and were discharged smoothly. Postoperative follow-up ranged from 3 months to 10 years. Head computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reexamination revealed that arachnoid cysts were significantly reduced or disappeared completely after surgery in all 25 patients. None of the patients experienced recurrence of subdural hematoma, and all have resumed normal study, work, and daily life. Subdural hematoma in children is usually secondary to head trauma or strenuous exercise. Arachnoid cyst is a critical risk factor for intracranial hemorrhage. The combined application of head CT and MRI is an important approach to confirm the diagnosis of this disease. Due to its definitive therapeutic effect and low postoperative recurrence rate, craniotomy for subdural hematoma removal in combination with arachnoid cystectomy plus cisternal communication surgery is the preferred treatment method for pediatric patients with intracranial hypertension, significant space-occupying effect of the arachnoid cyst, and compression of the surrounding brain tissues.