Full scope of options

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of Clinical Problem Solving articles is to present management challenges to give practicing neurosurgeons insight into how field leaders address these dilemmas. This illustration is accompanied by a brief review of the literature on the topic. PRESENTATION: The case of a 16-year-old boy presenting with headaches is presented. The patient is found to have a typical colloid cyst at the foramen of Monro. Bilateral ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement had been performed as an initial treatment of the patient before presentation. RESULTS: Surgeons experienced in open and endoscopic surgery discuss their individual approaches to colloid cysts, in the context of previous shunting, providing a varied perspective on the clinical challenges posed by these lesions. CONCLUSION: Both open and endoscopic options remain viable for excision of a colloid cyst. Each has associated potential complications, as illustrated by the current case.