The approach facilitates direct tumor decompression and its retraction away from the brainstem without initially encountering the intracisternal cranial nerves and neuraxis. It provides multiple corridors for excising extensive posterior fossa tumors. Preoperative assessment of sigmoid sinus dominance, jugular bulb height, labyrinth, vein of Labbe, and space available through Trautman's triangle considerably helps in complication avoidance.

Pediatric colloid cysts are rarer than their adult counterparts due to their late detection only after manifestations of raised intracranial pressure, visual or cognitive dysfunction or drop attacks occur. Their radiological appearance varies depending upon the amount of mucoid content, cholesterol, proteins, and water content. The fast development of clinical manifestations in children may be related to rapid enlargement of cyst due to higher water content within them. The transcallosal approach is the "gold standard" of surgery and usually ensures gratifying and lasting results.

The association of kep and MMP-9 expression with survival suggests that kep may be used as imaging biomarker of GBM progression and its prognostication.

A rare case of a giant, thrombosed, sellar-suprasellar paraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm with persistent primitive trigeminal artery (PPTA) causing hypopituitarism that manifested as hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, and hypocortisolism is reported. There were no visual/neurological deficits, diabetes insipidus, or episodes of subarachnoid hemorrhage. The alteration in the flow dynamics of the circle of Willis due to the presence of PPTA may have been responsible for both the genesis of the giant aneurysm as well as for the induction of thrombogenesis within its lumen. As the digital subtraction angiogram showed complete thrombosis within the aneurysm and hormonal replacement therapy was effective in ensuring complete normalization of symptoms, the patient was unwilling to undergo surgical clipping of the aneurysm and removal of the suprasellar clot in an attempt to restore pituitary functions. Hypopituitarism recurred when the patient stopped her hormonal supplementation therapy after 7 years, and she again became symptom-free on restarting the therapy. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this represents the first reported case in the literature of hypopituitarism consequent to a giant, thrombosed, sellar-suprasellar ICA aneurysm with an associated PPTA on the side of the aneurysm.

Context:Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms are associated with multiple anatomical variations of the parent vessel. Complexities in their surgical clipping relate to narrow corridors limited by brain-stem, petrous-occipital bones, and multiple neurovascular structures occupying the cerebellomedullary and cerebellopontine cisterns.Aims:The present study focuses on surgical considerations during clipping of saccular PICA aneurysms.Setting and Design:Tertiary care, retrospective study.Materials and Methods:In 20 patients with PICA aneurysms, CT angiogram/digital substraction angiogram was used to correlate the site and anatomical variations of aneurysms located on different segments of PICA with the approach selected, the difficulties encountered and the final outcome.Statistical Analysis:Comparison of means and percentages.Results:Aneurysms were located on PICA at: vertebral artery/basilar artery (VA/BA)-PICA (n=5); anterior medullary (n=4); lateral medullary (n=3); tonsillomedullary (n=4); and, telovelotonsillar (n=4) segments. The Hunt and Hess grade distribution was I in 15; II in 2; and, III in 3 patients (mean ictus-surgery interval: 23.5 days; range: 3-150 days). Eight patients had hydrocephalus. Anatomical variations included giant, thrombosed aneurysms; 2 PICA aneurysms proximal to an arteriovenous malformation; bilobed or multiple aneurysms; low PICA situated at the foramen magnum with a hypoplastic VA; and fenestrated PICA. The approaches included a retromastoid suboccipital craniectomy (n=9); midline suboccipital craniectomy (n=6); and far-lateral approach (n=5). At a follow-up (range 6 months-2.5 years), 13 patients had no deficits (modified Rankin score (mRS) 0); 2 were symptomatic with no significant disability (mRS1); 1 had mild disability (mRS2); 1 had moderately severe disability (mRS4); and 3 died (mRS6). Three mortalities were caused by vasospasm (2) and, rupture of unclipped second VA-BA junctional aneurysm (1).Conclusions:PICA aneurysms may present with only IVth ventricular blood without subarachnoid hemorrhage. PICA may have multiple anomalies and its aneurysms may be missed on CT angiograms. Surgical approach is influenced by VA-BA tortuosity and variations in anatomy, location of the VA-BA junction and the PICA aneurysm relative to the brain-stem, and the pattern of collateral supply. The special category of VA-PICA junctional aneurysms and its management; and, the multiple anatomical variations of PICA aneurysms, merit special surgical considerations and have been highlighted in this study.