Types and characteristics of brain cysts in newborns. Brain cyst in a newborn: how dangerous are such formations? What kind of cyst is in the head of newborns?

Due to the development of medical technologies and diagnostic methods, identifying defects and diseases of the brain in newborns has become much easier and more accurate. In this regard, for Lately The diagnosis of a cyst in a newborn’s head has become more frequent. Just a few decades ago, it was extremely difficult to identify this disease, therefore, treatment of the disease began at a later date. later, which often led to disastrous consequences. A cyst in a child’s head is a benign formation, a cavity filled with fluid.

Refers to this education to dangerous intracranial pathologies and occurs due to defects embryonic development or acquired during childbirth. This pathology it is necessary to carefully diagnose and take prompt measures for treatment. Studies of the brain of newborns are carried out according to some medical indications such as birth trauma. Detection of a brain cyst is possible in the first days of life.

Among the main factors influencing the occurrence of brain pathology in a newborn are the following:

1. Violations nervous system during the intrauterine development of the child, associated with diseases of the mother (viruses, in particular the influenza virus, encephalitis, meningitis, herpes, etc.). The virus penetrates the fetus through the placental barrier and affects it in a certain way. Inflammation develops in the brain, during which a fluid-filled cavity appears in place of dead cells.
2. Birth injuries. As a result of injury or incorrect position of the fetus during childbirth, a hematoma forms inside the skull, the cells of which are then replaced
   liquid.
3. A cyst can also develop due to insufficient blood circulation in the brain.
4. Infections and inflammatory processes in a newborn can cause the development of pathology.

Symptoms of the disease

If the formation is small in size, it does not affect the condition of the newborn in any way. When the cavity increases in size, compression of the brain tissue occurs. As a result of this, it increases intracranial pressure, brain tissue dies.

Symptoms depend on the size of the formation and its location. When the cyst is located in the occipital region, vision deteriorates; in the peritemporal part the cyst provokes hearing impairment; if the cerebellum is damaged, then a violation of coordination and speech occurs.

So, when parents need to pay attention and show their newborn to a specialist:

• If the child burps profusely and this process is constant and not related to feeding;
• Breast refusal;
• Inhibited reactions to stimuli, impaired coordination of limbs;
• Delayed growth and weight gain;
• Seizures and sleep disturbances.

Treatment and consequences

Formations in the head of infants are detected using neurosonography - ultrasound examination brain In the first days of life and upon reaching the age of one month, the fontanel is not closed, which makes it possible to conduct research with maximum accuracy.

Also, children who have undergone intensive care are required to undergo this examination. The neoplasm is not large sizes subject to supervision and constant control by specialists. On primary stages drugs are used to improve cerebral circulation, immunostimulants, antiviral and antibacterial agents. At this stage the disease is susceptible conservative treatment, so there is no need to panic.

With a rapid increase in the size of the formation, it is indicated surgery, which occurs in the following ways:

1. Bypass method. During this process, a “channel” is created in the newborn’s head for the outflow of fluid. The operation has a disadvantage, such as the possibility of infection during its implementation.
2. The endoscopic method is not used in all cases, but when the localization of the cyst is in the access area of ​​the endoscope. The contents of the tumor are removed through a puncture in the head.
3. Trepanation of the skull, during which the cyst is removed along with the walls. A very traumatic method, and the recovery period takes a long time.

The health and developmental consequences of the newborn depend on the size of the cyst and how quickly it grows. If a cyst is detected in your baby, you need to regularly visit a neurologist to protect yourself from infections. If the formation has reached a large size, most likely the only solution The treatment for the disease will be surgery. Forecasts for operations of this kind are quite optimistic. The most important thing is to pay attention to the symptoms and, if necessary, begin treatment in a timely manner.

We invite you to watch an informational video on the topic of the article:

Brain pathologies can occur even during the period of intrauterine development of the fetus, which is associated with the lifestyle and habits of the mother, as well as the presence of various chronic diseases, features of the course of pregnancy, penetration of infection into the body. The condition of the newborn is also affected by the phenomenon in which an insufficient amount of oxygen reaches his brain. Brain cysts in newborns are quite common and are a factor influencing the development and condition of the body. These neoplasms are not tumorous in nature and do not pose a direct threat to the child’s life. However, the danger of cysts is that they compress the surrounding healthy brain tissue, which causes mental and physical disorders. In addition, these neoplasms do not show any signs for a long time, and during puberty they begin to actively grow, which leads to a deterioration in health.

Brain cyst occurring in a newborn , called a fluid-filled volumetric structure (spherical cavity), which replaces dead areas of the brain and can be located in any part of this organ. It can be both single and multiple. This pathology is common and is diagnosed in approximately 40% of newborns.

A cavity with fluid located in the brain area can form in the fetus in the womb or after the birth of the child. Sometimes it becomes so small that it does not affect the child’s condition in any way, and the neoplasm itself resolves on its own over time. But, if the cysts are numerous and large in size, children experience delayed psychomotor development, slow growth, poor weight gain, and deterioration in visual function.

Dr. Komarovsky will talk about the causes and treatment of the disease in children:

After childbirth, examination for the presence of a scalp cyst in a newborn is mandatory in the following cases:

1. If there was a birth injury;
2. If the mother was infected with a herpes infection during pregnancy;
3. If the pregnancy proceeded with complications (large fetus size, oligohydramnios).

If the cyst is single and small in size, timely treatment begins to guarantee a favorable outcome. Otherwise, the consequences become irreversible: the child lags behind in physical and then sexual development, suffers from hearing and vision impairment. Present high risk disability, and in the most severe cases death occurs.

Reasons for formation

A brain cyst in a child is formed under the influence of factors such as:

• Injuries received during or after childbirth;
• Transferred infectious diseases affecting the central nervous system (encephalitis, meningitis);

• Congenital anomalies of the central nervous system;
• Insufficient blood supply to the brain, resulting in hypoxia - oxygen deficiency;
• The presence of the herpes virus in the body of the mother carrying the fetus.

All of these reasons contribute to the degeneration of brain tissue, its death and the formation of empty space, which is filled with fluid. This is a cyst.

Intensive growth of brain cysts in infants is observed in the case of progression of inflammatory or infectious nature, and also when severe bruises head and traumatic brain injuries.

Types of brain cysts in children

Depending on what part of the organ the cyst is localized in a newborn, the following types of this formation are distinguished:

1. Subependymal cyst. It is also called intracerebral or cerebral. It occurs in children as a consequence of hypoxia and prolonged circulatory disorders in the vessels of the brain. Typically, the pathology appears during the period of intrauterine development, if the fetus has acute or moderate hypoxia, which develops during infectious diseases, anemia, Rh conflict. Other causes of cysts are cerebral ischemia and hemorrhage. Most often, the neoplasm is located in the ventricular and occipital regions, cerebellum, temporal lobe, pituitary gland. This is the most dangerous species neoplasms: cysts of the ventricle of the brain or other internal structures, if left untreated, lead to disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system, disability and even death;

The arachnoid form of pathology is formed in the space of the arachnoid membrane of the brain

1. Arachnoid cyst of the brain. The presence of this neoplasm is usually not expressed in specific symptoms. The cyst occurs between the membranes of the brain, on the surface of the organ (the so-called arachnoid membrane). It is a cluster cerebrospinal fluid. This type occurs infrequently, in only 3% of cases. The cyst quickly increases in size, squeezing surrounding tissues and sections. However, it has a more favorable prognosis than a subependymal cyst, but if left untreated it leads to a child’s retardation in psychomotor development;

1. Choroid plexus cysts of the brain, also called pseudocysts. Additionally, this neoplasm is referred to as a retrocerebellar cyst. It develops during the period of intrauterine development. Experts believe that such a congenital cyst is relatively normal occurrence, since it dissolves on its own as the fetus grows.

If the pathology develops without treatment, it is fraught with the following complications:

• Impaired functioning of the vestibular apparatus;
• Hearing and vision loss;
• Mental retardation;
• Convulsive syndrome;

• Loss of coordination and gait;
• Stroke;
• Deformation of the skull;
• Paralysis and paresis.

Clinical picture

If a cyst localized in the brain area is limited in size and does not increase in size, there are no specific signs of pathology in infants. The only features that parents can note are bulging fontanel and pulsation in it, the baby’s refusal to breastfeed or bottle, frequent and profuse regurgitation, delayed mental and motor development, and lack of response to sounds.

When the fluid cavity grows and puts pressure on surrounding tissues and structures, clinical picture is expressed more clearly. TO characteristic symptoms The presence of a fluid-filled cavity in the brain includes the following:

1. Visual impairment, which manifests itself in blurred images, double vision and spots before the eyes;
2. Insufficient physical development;
3. Delayed sexual development;
4. Coordination problems;
5. Convulsions;
6. Numbness of the upper and lower limbs;

1. Fainting conditions;
2. Sleep disturbance;
3. Strong pulsation in the head area;
4. Nausea, vomiting;
5. Partial paralysis of the limbs;
6. Trembling of limbs.

The intensity and prevalence of certain symptoms depends on which part of the brain the fluid-filled cavity is localized in. For example, a cyst of the pineal gland (epiphysis), an organ that is responsible for the production of melanin and serotonin, has severe symptoms only if the formation reaches a large size. This type of cyst manifests itself in headache attacks that can last several days, epileptic seizures, visual impairment, delusional states.

Large cysts in the cerebellum of the brain provoke seizures, tremors, deterioration in coordination of movements, paralysis and paresis of the upper and lower extremities, and the development of hydrocephalus.

Methods for diagnosing and treating cysts

Brain cysts in newborns do not always require treatment, but in all cases medical supervision is required.

To make a diagnosis and identify the type of neoplasm, the following measures are carried out:

• MRI and ultrasound of the brain to determine the location of the cyst and its size;
• Laboratory examination of cerebrospinal fluid to identify infection and inflammation;

• Neurosonography – basic diagnostic method, with the help of which the brain structures of a newborn are examined. Access for research is an open large fontanel, therefore this procedure relevant only for children under 2 years of age, in whom this hole has not yet ossified;
• Histology is a method by which one can evaluate the nature of a neoplasm and differentiate it from malignant tumors.

Treatment of the pathology depends on how large the size of the cyst is and where it is located. If tumor growth is not observed, the patient is prescribed an appointment medications, which allow you to correct the child’s condition. So, if the cause of the formation of a cavity is a violation of blood circulation in the vessels of the brain, the use of appropriate medications is prescribed. Stop if necessary infectious process antibacterial agents are prescribed.

IN special cases surgery is required. The conditions for this are:

1. Hydrocephalus;

Neurosurgeon, MD, tells us more about the pathology. Fayad Akhmedovich Farhad:

1. Increased intracranial pressure;
2. A sharp disturbance in movements and coordination;
3. Cramps.

If there is a cyst in a baby, the following types of operations are performed:

• Radical. In this case, craniotomy is performed and complete removal cystic neoplasm. The manipulation is effective, but is characterized high degree traumatic;
• Endoscopic, the most gentle. During surgical intervention a puncture is made through which the endoscope is inserted. Next, the contents of the formed cavity are removed;
• Cyst shunting. Its contents are drained through a drainage tube. The cyst is not completely removed.

If appropriate measures are not taken in a timely manner, the formation may burst. This is fraught with the following consequences:

1. Blood poisoning;
2. Bleeding inside the skull;
3. An inflammatory process caused by the entry of purulent contents into the cerebrospinal fluid;
4. Complete paralysis;
5. Death.

Brain cysts in a newborn are a common diagnosis. This pathology rarely threatens fatal, but in some cases it can lead to serious violations development and disability. This condition requires constant monitoring by a specialist, and, if necessary, surgical intervention.

A couple of decades ago, few people had heard of such a diagnosis for newborns. IN last years The situation has changed - there has been a tendency towards an increase in the diagnosis of this pathology. According to statistics, every third baby is born today with manifestations of a cystic anomaly.

Cyst – a formation of varying sizes containing liquid inside. These processes can begin in the child’s brain even at the stage of intrauterine development.

By themselves, they do not pose a serious danger and do not threaten the life of the baby; moreover, these formations generally develop over time self-resolving and do not require therapeutic intervention.

Causes

The following provoking factors have been identified that can cause the development of a brain cyst in a child:

• intrauterine infection– happens when a woman’s pregnancy is accompanied by complications, and the birth process is associated with a number of pathologies;
• virus herpes simplex – transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy;
• insufficient blood supply to the baby's brain- the anomaly causes partial atrophy tissues, resulting in the formation internal cavity, which will subsequently fill with liquid;
• suffered by the child serious illnesses brain– encephalitis, meningitis. In this situation, the cyst is considered a recurrent manifestation of complications after these diagnoses;
• mechanical injury- because the bone the newborn's skull is not yet strong enough, under the influence mechanical pressure(during childbirth, in everyday life) partial deformation may occur with the formation of cystic voids.

Kinds

The classification of the disease by type is carried out taking into account the location of its location and the time stage at which it began to develop. The following types of cysts are defined:

• arachnoid- most often appears in the arachnoid medulla region and is filled with fluid entering the cavity from the dorsal spine. It can be primary and secondary. It is mainly diagnosed in male newborns. Characterized by average degree aggressiveness and rapid increase in size;
• subepindymal– the most complex form of pathology. Occurs due to internal hemorrhage of an organ caused by oxygen deficiency. It may either disappear on its own or require a prompt solution to the problem;
• choroid plexuses- the most commonly diagnosed formation. It can cause the development of cellular necrosis and the occurrence of irreversible processes in the organ, up to its complete dysfunction. It is considered a consequence of previous cranial surgeries, childhood stroke, mechanical and birth injuries.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you more about the choroid plexus cyst in this video:

Symptoms

Unfortunately, quite often the disease has virtually no symptoms and makes its timely diagnosis difficult.

Primary signs that should alert parents and prompt them to contact the clinic for an initial consultation are:

• frequent regurgitation, turning into vomiting;
• enlargement of the fontanel and increased frequency of its pulsation;
• inhibition of physical mental functions and slow motor skills.

As the disease progresses, additional symptoms, signaling the development of a cyst:

• headache– its character is constant, aching, the degree of intensity varies;
• visual and auditory deviations, partial loss of smell;
• sleep disturbance– manifests itself as insomnia, or, on the contrary, excessive urge to sleep;
• episodic musculoskeletal dysfunction– the baby loses orientation for a while, his movements may be delayed, with impaired coordination;
• seizures and epilepsy– such seizures are characteristic of an advanced cystic form, their presence indicates the need for urgent medical intervention, most likely surgical;
• frequent short-term fainting– the child loses consciousness for a few seconds and then a short time everything returns to normal;
• mental disorders and hallucinations– manifests itself in excessive childish capriciousness, crying, or, on the contrary, in increased agitation and hyperactivity.

In addition, if the pathology is in posterior region skulls, maybe hidden symptoms, which are difficult to notice, but with a high degree of probability they indicate precisely this diagnosis. These include:

• sudden loss of vision;
• feeling of double vision;
• veil.

Indications for examination

There is a certain risk group of newborns who are more likely than other babies to develop a brain cyst. A thorough examination is required if:

• baby was born premature– his defenses and physical development do not correspond to the norm, risk birth trauma, accordingly, also higher;
• present fact of general weakened health a baby after he has suffered serious diagnoses that can provoke the development of this anomaly;
• newborns who have had oxygen hypoxia and labor resuscitation procedure– an insufficient amount of oxygen poses a direct threat to the appearance of cystic formations in the subcortical part of the organ.

Consequences

The greatest danger is posed by subependymal pathology, especially with a sharp increase in the size of the formation. This threatens the child with the following unpleasant consequences:

• retardation in physical and mental development up to partial disability of the child;
• acquired heart defects;
• blood anemia;
• abnormalities in the functioning of the respiratory system;
• atrophy of brain tissue, underdevelopment.

It is important to understand that this formation is not malignant, is not considered cancer, and in most cases is not life-threatening.

The only thing when the life of a newborn is in danger is abnormal cyst size and hypoxia caused by this phenomenon in an advanced stage. If the disease is left to chance, the outcome can be quite sad - first coma, then death.

Complications

Danger benign education lies in its size and level of progression.

Often, without showing itself in any way, the cyst remains latent for several years, and in adolescence begins to behave extremely aggressively. Not delivered on time health care threatens the patient with the following complications:

• complete loss of vision and hearing;
• severe coordination dysfunction;
• divergence of bone sutures;
• acute hemorrhagic stroke;
• excessive accumulation of fluid in the ventricles of the organ, which can lead to the death of the child.

Diagnostics

A pediatric neurologist can diagnose abnormal processes in the brain of a newborn. If after the examination the diagnosis is confirmed, the baby will be registered with a neurosurgeon and the dynamics of the pathology will be monitored.

Finding a cyst

You can identify the location of the formation in the following ways:

neurosonography– is a type of examination using ultrasonic waves. Does not pose any danger to the health of a small organism. Indicated at the stage of intrauterine development of the fetus, then a month after the birth of the baby.

At this moment, the fontanel is still slightly open, which guarantees high diagnostic accuracy;

• MTP– this version of the examination is carried out when the child reaches 3 months, then at six months, and a control test at one year. Suitable for the subependymal form of formation, characterized by active phase currents;
• CT– allows you to understand the magnitude of the anomaly as accurately as possible and obtain as much information as possible about its location. It is carried out with frequency and at an age similar to the MTP examination.

Search for reasons

To understand the nature of the formation and understand the main reasons provoking this phenomenon, the following auxiliary techniques are used:

• dopplerography blood vessels - is considered an indirect indicator of the presence of the disease, since pressure on the brain can be exerted by completely different factors. Performed on older patients – no earlier than one year of age;
• blood tests– the body’s reaction to its coagulability, cholesterol concentration, and the presence of autoimmune pathogens is checked. Conducted from 3 months of age;
• cardiogram– makes it possible to promptly identify organ defects or insufficiency. It can be done at any age because it is absolutely not dangerous;
• pressure test– carried out in the form of monitoring. Arterial pressure measured at certain intervals throughout the day. Helps to understand how education is able to maintain its immobility. Doesn't have age restrictions to research.

Treatment

The choice of treatment method is influenced by the type of pathology. Based on this, the following options for eliminating brain cysts are used:

• medicinal– indicated for choroid plexus anomalies. At a certain stage of its development, a course of drug treatment can be carried out, accelerating the process of resorption of the formation;
• surgical- craniotomy. Most often used when it comes to arachnoid cystosis. The skull is trepanned, and the cavity anomaly, along with its contents, is amputated. It is considered an operation with a high degree of trauma, so it is performed infrequently;

bypass surgery– the procedure refers to the complete cutting off of a cavitary anomaly using a special system of the same name.

The method is not as radical and traumatic as surgery, but it is also not without its disadvantages - there is a risk of infection due to the long-term presence of the shunt in the brain cavity. In addition, the method only involves pumping out the liquid, the cavity itself remains inviolable;

• endoscopy– is carried out using small multiple punctures of the skull, through the holes of which the contents of the formation are pumped out.

– great joy for the whole family. Mom and dad will watch his growth and development. However, parents should always be on guard so as not to view dangerous illness. Recognizing the disease early stage guarantees quick resolution of problems. A cyst in a child’s head is a diagnosis that can frighten anyone. First you need to figure out whether there is a reason to panic.

In contact with

Timely diagnosis

Neurological pathologies in babies are most often detected before the age of one year. To do this, it is important to attend preventive examinations at a children's clinic. The doctor usually prescribes them once every 1-3 months. If the baby is already one year old, then you will have to visit the hospital much less often.

If a cyst in a newborn’s head was detected on time, then a correctly selected course of treatment will not leave a trace of it. However, the child’s condition will need to be constantly monitored and medications adjusted.

What is a brain cyst in newborns? This special kind pathological formation, which grows and develops directly in the cavity itself. However, there are cases of the disease developing in the back, because the spine is also filled with a special brain fluid. If deviations from the norm are detected, the child will be registered. The pediatrician will need to monitor the condition for changes.

Important! Any formations inside the human body are very dangerous; such patients should be observed by doctors.

To detect pathology, you need to contact a neurologist. It is impossible to do without consulting a neurosurgeon.

Location of the tumor

The choice of further course of treatment directly depends on the location of the tumor. IN medical practice there were cases when doctors found her “inside” or “outside”.

Cysts in the head of a newborn are divided into several types:

• arachnoid;
• cerebral;
• choroid plexus.

An arachnoid formation is diagnosed if it is located between the brain and the arachnoid membrane. Inside most often there is cerebrospinal fluid - a fluid consisting of spinal or cerebrospinal components.

At the same time, they are expanding significantly soft fabrics. Against the background of these processes, a pathological growth is formed. If treatment is not started in time, the formation will constantly increase in size.

Arachnoid growths in the head of a child are a congenital type of pathology, which is usually attributed to primary signs. The reasons for the formation lie in too rapid growth or problems in the formation of the brain during intrauterine development. Past infectious diseases can also play a negative role. Doctors say that the disease develops under the influence of the herpes virus. This type The disease can be acquired during life; the pathology occurs after injury, inflammation of the brain or during the development of a tumor.

The cerebral type of formations develops in a child after suffering a trauma. The birth process itself is very stressful, not only for the mother, but also for the child. During this period, his brain and skull bones are exposed to strong pressure, therefore, pathology occurs as complications after labor.

It is impossible to completely exclude hemorrhages, which can also cause growths. Cerebral disease develops against the background inflammatory process or injury. If a certain part of the brain substance dies, then the free space is occupied by a new growth.

Choroid plexus cyst in newborns is diagnosed during fetal development. Unfortunately, today it is found more and more often. The pathology is temporary and resolves after a certain period of time without drug treatment. Doctors only need constant monitoring of the recovery process.

Symptoms

A cyst in a child’s head manifests itself extremely rarely. The situation is dangerous, because parents and doctors may miss the moment when it is necessary to carry out surgical intervention. To eliminate the pathology, bypass surgery is used. Thanks to this method, it is possible to stop the growth of the tumor. Against the background of the disease, intracranial pressure increases, because the formation compresses the brain. This situation leads to swelling. If treatment is not started on time, the consequences may be irreversible. The child develops blindness and significant developmental delays. Cases of deafness and death have been recorded.

A newborn is too young to report dizziness or pain to their parents.

Damage to the cerebral vessels in a baby is accompanied by a number of characteristic manifestations:

• lethargic and apathetic state;
• periodic occurrence of seizures;
• improper coordination of movements.

The disease contributes to developmental delays, both mental and physical. However, the nature of the manifestations directly depends on the location of the formation and its size.

The lethargic state of the child should alert parents

Therapeutic measures

Dr. Komarovsky claims that removal surgically It is advisable to perform only if the cyst is constantly increasing in size. Depending on the nature of the formation, the type of surgical intervention is selected. However, additional assessment is needed general state health little patient, because the situation can be aggravated due to a number of related problems.

Removal will require craniotomy. Only after this will it be possible to remove the cyst along with the walls. This method allows you to quickly get rid of the growth. However, it is rarely used, because the operation poses a danger to the baby. The young body is not yet strong after childbirth, so a number of complications may arise.

Shunting is prescribed if it is necessary to drain fluid outside. It is pumped out of the cyst, so intracranial pressure is significantly reduced. After a certain period of time, the walls fall down and completely grow together.

The method is dangerous because it opens the brain. This situation can lead to tissue infection, so special care must be taken when installing a shunt.

More recently, it has become possible to perform surgery through small holes. The cyst is removed through small punctures - an endoscopy technique. This method has minimal risk. However, with the help of an endoscope it is not possible to gain access to all areas of the brain.

Cysts in the brain are increasingly being diagnosed in children under 1 year of age. However, one should not panic and record this event as an epidemic. Scientists also refuted the hypothesis that pathology is developing due to the rapid increase in the number of technologies. Ten years ago, this disease was considered rare. Many children grew up never knowing that they had a cyst in their brain during the first year of life. However, it is best to take control of this condition.

Important! IN childhood neoplasms quickly resolve and do not remain with the person for life.

If your baby has been diagnosed with this, then there is no need to panic. The doctor will advise parents to monitor the baby’s health. You will need to monitor his behavior. Measures are taken only if education begins to grow rapidly. Today, a number of diagnostic tests are used that allow us to determine the nature of the pathology. Parents should completely avoid self-medication. Only a doctor can suggest taking additional measures as a last resort.

Useful video: brain cyst

The most common complications that arise during pregnancy and during negative labor include a subependymal cyst in a newborn child.

More than 10-12% of children, whose pregnancy was accompanied by pathologies, were born with this cystic formation.

Concept

All cysts have a similar structure - they are cavities that contain liquid, - and can be formed in different parts body.

A subependymal cyst forms in the brain under the influence of one or more unfavorable factors.

Little ones cystic formations do not cause significant negative consequences And dissolve on their own over time, but large cysts that are poorly located require increased medical monitoring.

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Reasons for appearance

A cyst is formed under the influence of the following factors:

Localization and symptoms

Cystic formations form in areas of tissue necrosis, preventing the spread of the lesion, occur in both the left and right lobe brain

Most often they form in the area of ​​the ventricles: cavities in the brain that are filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

The symptoms observed with a cyst are closely related to its location, size and growth rate. Different areas brain perform certain functions, and when the tissues are compressed, the work of these areas is disrupted.

TO general symptoms for subependymal cysts include:

• sleep problems;
• high level of anxiety;
• reluctance to drink milk from the breast;
• weight does not gain or even falls;
• pathological;
• continuous or very frequent screaming for no reason;
• tremor in the limbs, excessive movements;
• severe regurgitation;
• periodic loss of consciousness, up to a coma;
• pathologies of the fontanel: it may pulsate, look swollen, tense;
• epileptic seizures.

In the absence of therapy, symptoms will continue to progress, and focal lesions will become more acute as the child grows.

Forecast and consequences

If a cystic formation prone to growth is not detected in time, it will begin to increase in diameter and gradually compress nearby tissues.

Focal symptoms will begin to progress: for example, a growing cyst in the occipital zone initially appears only to some, but as it grows, the child begins to go blind.

Also, cystic formations lead to, characterized by the appearance of such symptoms, How:

• intense;
• feeling of tightness in the head;
• apathy;
• weakness;
• pronounced degree of fatigue;
• dizziness;
• nausea and vomiting;
• diplopia;
• fainting.

If the cyst is large and treatment for a long time missing, this may lead to to disruption of the formation of cranial bones(the fontanel does not ossify), divergence of cranial sutures, which leads to a lag in physical and mental development, and in severe cases can be fatal.

Cysts can also cause a stroke.

The prognosis of the disease depends on the size of the cyst, the timing of its detection, and the degree of growth intensity. Small cysts that do not increase in diameter do not lead to significant negative consequences.

And, accordingly, large cysts that are prone to growth pose a threat to the health and life of the child, and even after timely surgical intervention, disturbances may remain.

Types and forms

Treatment, risks and symptoms depend on the characteristics of the cystic formation.

Based on size, cysts are divided into:

1. Little ones(less than 3 centimeters). Usually they do not pose a significant threat to the child, resolve on their own and rarely require treatment: it is enough to only periodically monitor it during routine examinations.
2. Large ones. The larger the cyst, the more risks it carries for the child. Large cysts require treatment, including surgery.

According to trends in educational growth, education can be divided into:

1. Increasing. If the cyst grows rapidly, surgery and other serious measures may be required, since as the cyst grows, it compresses the brain tissue and impairs its functioning.
2. Not increasing. If the cyst is small and does not increase in size, the prognosis is favorable.

By the number of chambers in the cyst:

1. Single-chamber. Less dangerous and better treatable.
2. Multi-chamber. They are more difficult to diagnose due to symptoms that are inherent in other pathologies. Worse to treat.

In addition to the subependymal cyst, there are other types of cystic formations in newborns:

1. Arachnoid cyst. Appears due to injury infectious lesions, is prone to rapid growth and requires urgent treatment.
2. Choroid plexus cyst. Occurs during intrauterine development under the influence of herpes. In most cases it disappears on its own.

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Diagnostics

Subependymal cysts are detected using ultrasound(neurosonography).

This diagnostic procedure accurate, completely safe and does not cause any discomfort to the child.

Ultrasound brain applied to children less than a year old, whose fontanelles have not yet ossified. Routine neurosonography is performed when the child is one month old, but if the pregnancy was accompanied by pathologies and the birth was difficult, it may be performed earlier.

As additional methods diagnostics, MRI and CT are indicated to obtain more accurate information regarding the characteristics and location of the cyst.

But these procedures are used no more than twice a year: infants are vulnerable to radiation.

Principles of treatment

The basis of treatment is working with the cause that provoked the occurrence of cystic formation: hypoxia and its consequences are eliminated.

Treatment of the disease takes place in several stages:

If the cyst is actively growing and is large, shown surgical treatment : Fluid is removed from the cyst using an endoscope. In severe cases it may be necessary open surgery on the brain.

Dr. Komarovsky, a famous pediatrician, claims that cystic formations identified during neurosonography in infants do not pose any danger and do not require treatment.

Prevention

To avoid the development of a subependymal cyst, it is necessary to exclude causes that can cause hypoxia and other disorders.

You will find information on the treatment of strabismus in children on our website.

Dr. Komarovsky about a brain cyst in this video:

We kindly ask you not to self-medicate. Make an appointment with a doctor!