Visual Deterioration and Herniation of the Anterior Cerebral Artery: Unusual Presentation of an Empty Sella Syndrome Complicating Decompression of a Rathke Cleft Cyst.

Journal: Journal Of Neuro-Ophthalmology : The Official Journal Of The North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society
Published:
Abstract

Clinical manifestations of empty sella syndrome include hypopituitarism cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, headache, and visual abnormalities. A 21-year-old woman reported a 6-month history of worsening vision 3 years after decompression of a sellar-suprasellar Rathke cleft cyst. Her magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a well-defined recurrent cyst in the sellar-suprasellar region causing chiasmatic compression. She underwent an endonasal, endoscopic decompression of the cyst, with subsequent improvement in her vision. A postoperative computed tomography confirmed good decompression of the cyst. Ten days after surgery, she reported sudden loss of vision in both eyes. MRI revealed an empty sella with herniation of both anterior cerebral arteries and optic chiasm into the sella. She underwent transnasal packing of the sellar floor with fat graft and bone plaques, and experienced gradual improvement in vision in her right eye.