Giant Intracranial Dermoid Cyst: Case Report and Review of the Literature on Intracranial Dermoids and Epidermoids

A 45-year old man was referred to the Johns Hopkins Hospital with a seven-year history of repeated episodes of light-headedness, increasing irritability and forgetfulness. Examinations revealed a right superior, incongruous quadrantanopsia. EEG showed an abnormality in the left temporal lobe, and a cerebral angiogram outlined an avascular mass in the left cerebral hemisphere. At operation, the patient was found to have a giant dermoid cyst involving the left frontal, temporal and parietal lobes. Over the last 30 years we have encountered only 6 cases of intracranial epidermoids and 3 cases of intracranial dermoids. These cases are cited, and a discussion of the embryology, histology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of these lesions with a review of the literature is undertaken.