Surgical Decompression of Arachnoid Cysts Leads to Improved Quality of Life: A Prospective Study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

There is no previous prospective study on the outcome of surgical decompression of intracranial arachnoid cysts (AC).

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate if surgical fenestration for AC leads to change in patients' health-related quality of life.

METHODS:

Prospective study including 76 adult patients operated for AC. Patients responded to Short Form-36 and Glasgow Benefit Inventory quality of life questionnaires, and to visual analogue scales, assessing headache and dizziness pre- and postoperatively. Patient scores were compared with those of a large sample of healthy individuals.

RESULTS:

Preoperatively, 84.2% of the patients experienced headache and 70.1% dizziness. Mean pre- versus postoperative Visual Analogue Scale scores for headache and dizziness dropped from 45.6 to 25.7 and from 35.2 to 12.2, respectively. Preoperative Short Form-36 scores were significantly below age norms in all subscales, but improved after surgery into normal range in 7 out of 8 subscales for middle-aged and older patients. Younger patients' scores remained lower than age norm in 6 out of 8 subscales. A significant postoperative improvement was seen in 3 out of 4 Glasgow Benefit Inventory subscales. Improvement in headache and/or dizziness, but not preoperative cyst size or reduction in cyst volume, correlated with improvement in 6 out of 8 Short Form-36 subscales and 3 out of 4 Glasgow Benefit Inventory subscales. Only 1 patient experienced a severe complication causing permanent invalidity.

CONCLUSION:

Surgery for AC can be performed with a fairly low risk of complications and yields significant improvement in quality of life correlated to postoperative improvement in headache and dizziness. These findings may justify a more liberal approach to surgical treatment for AC.

• Authors: Svein H Mørkve, Christian A Helland, Jörg Amus, Morten Lund-Johansen, Knut G Wester
• Journal: Neurosurgery (Neurosurgery) Vol. 78 Issue 5 Pg. 613-25 (May 2016) ISSN: 1524-4040 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26540351 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adult
• Arachnoid Cysts (psychology, surgery)
• Decompression, Surgical (adverse effects, methods)
• Dizziness (etiology, surgery)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Glasgow Outcome Scale
• Headache (etiology, surgery)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pain Measurement
• Prospective Studies
• Quality of Life
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Treatment Outcome