CASE REPORT   

Chirurgia 2017 October;30(5):180-3

DOI: 10.23736/S0394-9508.17.04644-7

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Tectal glioma mimics normal pressure hydrocephalus: two case reports

Sevinç ÇELIK ¹, Ferdi ÖZKAYA ², Olgun PEKER ², Yavuz SAMANCI ², Suat E. ÇELIK ² ✉

¹ Department of Neurology, Erenköy Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; ² Department of Neurosurgery, Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Tectal gliomas are low-grade gliomas arising in dorsal midbrain and usually present with a little neurological signs and symptoms. The clinical picture is related to increased intracranial pressure due to obstructive hydrocephalus. Low-grade gliomas of the tectal region show some characteristic neuroradiological findings on MRI examination. Since their slow growing nature, they may cause late-onset of aqueductal stenosis and hydrocephalus. Therefore, treatment of hydrocephalus is often the only surgical procedure that most patients require. Two adult patients with symptoms of hydrocephaly caused by tectal gliomas were presented. Both patients were female 85 and 64 years old. Both patient showed classical symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus plus headache, vomiting and papilledema. Magnetic resonance image (MRI) examination revealed a glioma of the tectal region. The cases shunted via ventriculoperitoneal way with complete resolution of symptoms. There were no complications related to the shunt placement. Patients are still on follow without neurologic deficits. Tectal gliomas may show the clinical findings of normal pressure hydrocephalus.

KEY WORDS: Glioma - Cerebral aqueduct - Hydrocephalus - Astrocytoma