How do healthcare providers treat arachnoid cysts?

How do healthcare providers treat arachnoid cysts?

If a cyst is causing symptoms, your provider may recommend regular imaging studies to watch the cyst and check its growth. MRIs and CT scans help your provider see if the cyst is pressing on other structures in the body, such as nerves, the brain or the spinal cord. The vast majority of cysts don’t need further treatment.

If the cyst is large and growing or causing symptoms, your provider may recommend treatment. This may include:

• Endoscopic procedures: Depending on the location and size of the cyst, your provider may recommend an endoscopic procedure to drain the cyst or open a ‘window’ in it. Endoscopic procedures use a small, thin tube with a camera and tiny tools. These minimally invasive procedures use smaller incisions. This means you need less recovery time than traditional surgery.
• Open craniotomy fenestration: During this procedure, your provider removes part of the skull and makes small incisions (cuts) in the cyst. These ‘windows’ allow fluid to drain from the cyst. Your body absorbs the fluid over time. Your provider replaces the skull piece and seals it in place with stitches.
• Shunting: Your provider inserts a cyst operitoneal shunt (also called a CP shunt) into the cyst. A shunt is a device made of catheters (thin tubes) and a valve. Fluid drains through the tubes into your abdomen (belly). Your body absorbs the fluid. The shunt will remain in place so fluid can continue to drain.
• Surgical removal: Healthcare providers usually remove spinal arachnoid cysts. Your provider makes an incision near the cyst and removes it. If it’s not possible to remove the cyst because of its location or size, your provider may recommend draining it or placing a shunt in the cyst.