Mathiesen et al. also reviewed colloid cyst reports published up to 1996 and found no cases of sudden deterioration leading to death when the cysts was less than 1 cm. They noted that patients followed conservatively should be reliable and informed about the possible development of symptoms. Patients developing signs of increased intracranial pressure should be carefully watched in the hospital. Some cases will need an urgent ventriculostomy followed by a repeat CT scan to determine if both ventricles are being decompressed. If not, bilateral ventriculostomies may be required.
Surgical excision is recommended for symptomatic patients or when the cyst is growing.
Patients undergoing anterior transcallosal resection performed by experienced neurosurgeons had excellent outcomes. The most common complication was the development of transient memory problems or confusion lasting about 1 week in most patients. These effects were suspected to result from trauma to fornix. Kondziolka 96 reported on 20 patients treated by stereotactic transventricular microsurgical resection.