Intracranial dermoid cyst rupture-related brain ischemia

RATIONALE Spontaneous rupture of intracranial dermoid cyst is a rare but serious clinical event that can result in cerebral ischemia. Cerebral vasospasm and vasculitis are considered as potential mechanisms of dermoid cyst rupture-related cerebral ischemia. However, the hemodynamic mechanisms between cerebral ischemia and dermoid cyst rupture are not well known. PATIENT CONCERNS A 55-year-old, right-handed man was admitted to our hospital with sudden receptive aphasia and right-sided hypoalgesia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a ruptured dermoid cyst and watershed infarcts in the left hemisphere. Then brain magnetic resonance angiography disclosed mild stenosis in the left middle cerebral artery (MCA), and further high-resolution MRI demonstrated it was caused by an unstable atherosclerosis plaque. Transcranial Doppler of the patient showed a decreasing tendency of peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the left MCA at different time points after the stroke (from 290cm/s at day 6 to 120cm/s at day 30), indicating a transient vasospasm. However, the time course of dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) seemed different from the PSV. The patient's dCA reached its lowest point at day 8 and was restored at day 10. The time course of dCA indicated a "called procedure" of a cerebrovascular regulating function to deal with the stimulation in subarachnoid space. DIAGNOSES A dermoid cyst rupture-related cerebral infarction was diagnosed in this patient. INTERVENTIONS Aspirin (100 mg/d) and atorvastatin (20 mg/d) were given to the patient. A neurosurgical operation was strongly recommended to minimize the risk of further injury of the ruptured dermoid cyst; however, the patient refused the recommended treatment. OUTCOMES The neurological deficit of the patient was significantly improved on 30 days follow-up. LESSONS We found that the spread of cyst contents through the subarachnoid and/or ventricular system can induce a vasospasm. Then, dCA was "called" to deal with the stimulation in the subarachnoid space. Compromised dCA seems to be one of the compensatory of cerebral vasospasm after a dermoid cyst rupture.