Sudden death due to a colloid cyst of the third ventricle: case report

Colloid cyst of the third ventricle is a benign tumour arising in the anterior roof of the third ventricle in close proximity to the foramen of Monro. It occurs in 3 persons per million per year and ranges in presentation from episodic headache to sudden death. We describe a rare case of sudden death due to a colloid cyst in the third ventricle which has not been reported in the local literature. A 15 year old girl suffering from episodic headaches being treated as migraine for the past 3 years developed progressive headaches of acute onset. She died about 5 hours after admission to the peripheral hospital. An autopsy revealed severe cerebral oedema and dissection of the fixed brain revealed a colloid cyst in the third ventricle with a dilated ventricular system. Cause of death was given as colloid cyst of the third ventricle. This case report shows that although rare it is important for both the Clinician and the Forensic Pathologist to include this entity in the differential diagnosis of headaches in children and in hydrocephalus detected at autopsy. Demonstration of the colloid cyst is difficult as it is easily missed in dissection which signifies the importance of brain fixation.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/mljsl.v1i1.7270

Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka 2011; 1(1), Jan-April : 42-45