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Rathke Cleft Cyst

Frank J. Domino, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Rathke cleft cyst (RCC) is a benign cyst of the sellar region, often an incidental finding on intracranial imaging studies.

  • Vast majority are intrasellar in location; uncommonly, the ...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Most often asymptomatic, but symptoms can result from compression of surrounding structures, depending on the size of the cyst: pituitary gland and stalk, optic nerves and chiasm, and...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Asymptomatic RCC merits conservative management and clinical observation.

  • Symptomatic RCC can effectively be drained/surgically excised (see surgical indications below).

  • Endocr...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Brain MRI to be repeated in the immediate postoperative period and then again at the 3-month follow-up visit. Further MRIs may then be performed annually for 5 ye...

REFERENCES

1
Kasliwal MK, Dua SG, Harbhajanka A, et al. Intrasphenoidal Rathke's cleft cyst. J Clin Neurosci. 2015;22(10):1678–1682. doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2015.05.001
2
Schmidt B, Cattin F, Aubry S. Prevale...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Park  JK, Lee  EJ, Kim  SH. Optimal surgical approaches for Rathke cleft cyst with consideration of endocrine function. Neurosurgery. ...

CODES

ICD10

E23.6 Other disorders of pituitary gland 

SNOMED

52859009 Rathke's pouch cyst (disorder) 

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • RCC is a benign cyst of the sellar region, often an incidental finding on intracranial imaging studies.

  • Asymptomatic RCC merits conservative management and clinical observation.

  • Symptoma...

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