What are the symptoms of epidermoid cyst?

Epidermoid cyst is actually also called lipocholestoma in medicine. It appears on the surface cell layer of the skin and can also occur as a benign lesion in the brain. . For a disease like epidermoid cyst, the symptoms are actually very obvious, such as tinnitus, deafness, decreased vision, nystagmus, sexual dysfunction, etc. If the patient feels any discomfort, he or she should be examined and treated as soon as possible.

High incidence group

Epidermoid cysts can occur in all age groups and can even be found at autopsy. The location can be either spinal or intracranial. The average age of onset is 35 years old, and female patients are more common.

Symptoms

The clinical manifestations vary depending on the location of the tumor.

1. Cerebellopontine epidermoid cyst: the most common site, often presenting with trigeminal neuralgia (70%), often with tinnitus and deafness on the affected side, and cerebellopontine angle syndrome may occur in the late stage. Neurological examination revealed dysfunction of the V, VII, and VIII cranial nerves, manifested as facial hypoesthesia, weak facial muscles, hearing loss, and ataxia. A minority of patients also had glossopharyngeal nerve and vagus nerve paralysis. Epidermoid cysts within the petrous apex may also cause dysfunction of the V and VIII cranial nerves.

2. Epidermoid cyst in the sellar region: The symptoms caused by the tumor located above the sella turcica are similar to those of pituitary tumors. Visual impairment and visual field loss are often the early clinical manifestations, which can cause optic nerve atrophy over time. A small number of patients develop endocrine disorders, manifested as sexual dysfunction, polydipsia, polyuria and other symptoms of pituitary insufficiency and hypothalamic damage. If the tumor develops forward, frontal lobe symptoms may occur; if it protrudes backward into the third ventricle, there may be symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Generally, the disease progresses slowly.

3. Epidermoid cysts in the brain parenchyma : The cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem can all be the sites of disease. Symptoms may vary depending on where the tumor is located. Cerebral hemisphere tumors often present with epileptic seizures, psychiatric symptoms, and mild hemiplegia. Cerebellar tumors often present with nystagmus, ataxia, etc. Brainstem tumors present with crossed paralysis, paralysis of the VI and VII cranial nerves on the affected side, and contralateral forced mild hemiplegia.

4. Ventricular epidermoid cysts rarely have symptoms in the early stages and are generally found in the trigone and temporal horn of the lateral ventricles. They can grow very large and even fill the ventricles, blocking the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid and causing symptoms of intracranial hypertension. It is rare for tumors to occur in the third and fourth ventricles.

5. Epidermoid cyst of the skull: It can occur in any part of the skull, but often occurs in the midline or near the midline (frontal, occipital) or in the temporal bone. In clinical practice, it is often discovered by chance that the skull surface has been bulging for many years. It feels rubbery to the touch and is not tender. It may also be movable or fixed on the skull. There is a high chance that midline lesions will be close to the bridge of the nose or the confluence of the sinuses, which is of particular importance as the cyst extends intracranially to involve the major veins or penetrate deep into the brain tissue.