Hemangioblastoma of Cerebral Aqueduct Removed via Sitting, Supracerebellar Intracollicular Approach

Abstract

Background: Tumors protruding into the cerebral aqueduct are rare, and tumors arising from within the cerebral aqueduct are rarer still.

Case description: In this report, we discuss the presentation and clinical outcome of a 65-year-old man who presented to us with symptoms of hydrocephalus. Prior imaging had revealed a small enhancing nodule within the cerebral aqueduct. In the 6 months between initial imaging and our seeing the patient, the tumor demonstrated substantial interval growth, so the patient was offered resection. The tumor was accessed using a sitting, supracerebellar, intracollicular approach, which allowed for gross total resection of the mass without complication. Histopathology later revealed the lesion to be a hemangioblastoma. Two years after surgery, the patient was doing well with no neurologic deficits.

Conclusions: We report the first case of an aqueductal hemangioblastoma and describe our use of a sitting, supracerebellar, intracollicular approach to access tumors occupying this cerebrospinal fluid space.

Keywords: Cerebral aqueduct; Colliculus; Hemangioblastoma.