Percutaneous Treatment of Meckel Cave Arachnoid Cyst: Case Report, Surgical Strategy and Literature Review

Arachnoid cysts are benign intracranial lesions. They are usually located in the middle fossa, but can be found in other locations. We present a case of symptomatic Meckel cave (MC) arachnoid cyst - a very rare location - and a treatment strategy not elsewhere described before for this condition. A 54-year-old female with trigeminal neuralgia with previous history of radiofrequency rhizotomy treatment 6 years before admission had been experiencing pain recurrence with progression, which required successive increases in carbamazepine dosage. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed dilatation of the right MC with extension to the petrous apex. The lesion was compatible with arachnoid cyst, and due to the worsening of the clinical condition, surgical treatment was chosen. Percutaneous puncture of the cyst through the foramen ovale with injection of intracystic fibrin sealant was performed. The patient woke up from anesthesia with pain improvement and was discharged asymptomatic the next day. After 12 months of follow-up, she remained pain-free. In the literature review, we found only eight cases reported as MC arachnoid cyst. These are likely to progress and become symptomatic owing to their communication with the subarachnoid space and a unidirectional valve mechanism. Pain improvement with this technique is probably secondary to the interruption of these mechanisms.