Cyst In My Brain

[jennymee]

Can surgery to remove a cyst in the brain cause brain damage or death?
Can getting a shunt put in to drain the cyst cause the same problems?
Any advice appriciated as i am very scared..

[Dr. A. Srivastava]

Hello, Thank you for posting your question to the forum. Brain cyst may remain asymptomatic for long years. But if it is large it can cause headache, paralysis, seizures and gait disorders. Therefore, surgical intervention is essential to remove the large cyst and if permanent damage needs to be avoided.  Craniotomy, needle aspiration and cerebral shunts are common surgical treatment that may help.  But, surgical modalities may have some complications depending upon size of cyst. Before opting for surgical procedures, you should evaluate both the pros and cons with the help of a neurosurgeon. Hope this helps.

[ggreg]

I don't know about the shunt, but I do know that while ANY operation on the brain carries risk of some changes in mental agility, nevertheless from what I understand, cysts are so well-defined by being encapsulated, that the possibility of damaging nearby structures is minimal.  But if you leave the cyst and let's say it grows fast, THAT can push on brain tissues and cause some damage, depending on where the cyst is and what size it gets to, which is why sometimes docs will recommend it be taken out.  I think you can trust what your physician suggests you should do, just be aware you might notice a little difference after the operation in some abilities, but in the unlikely event that happens, usually with physical and mental rehab, any problems can be managed, minimized, and even go away.  But not to worry, if you're going to have a growth in your head, a cyst is the best kind to have, and unless it's really large, I don't think you'll have any lingering problems by having it removed.