Suprasellar epidermoid tumor

INTRACRANIAL quently. They ever, because a clinical cure epidennoid cysts occur infreare of pragmatic interest, howof the possibility of effecting by their radical removal. Even those tumors with capsules intimately attached to large arteries or brain stem can often be subtotally removed with prolonged relief of symptoms. Lepoire and Pertuiset’ have recently presented 100 cases of epidermoid cyst and have carefully reviewed the literature on this subject. They divided their clinical material on an anaqmic basis and subdivided the medial suprasellar epidermoids into the pure chiasmal variety and the infundibular group. The former category was described by Olivecrona.2 These cases present a picture of a slowly progressive primary optic atrophy and bitemporal hemianopsia. This group also may have a normal sella and a dilation of one or both optic canals. Lepoire and Pertuisetl describe the characteristic train of endocrine and diencephalic symptoms presented by the infundibular group. Nowhere, however, has anyone described a medial suprasellar epidermoid cyst presenting with see-saw nystagmus. The extreme novelty of this complaint and its dramatic cure by surgical treatment prompted this case report. This is the second case of seesaw nystagmus with histologic verification and the sixth reported case in the literature.