Sudden deaths linked to undiagnosed intracranial colloid cysts of third ventricle on autopsy: Series of five cases

Abstract

Sudden deaths may result from many conditions which are either not apparent at autopsy or might be missed and such cases can be tricky as there is no definite cause of death. One such entity is Intracranial colloid cysts, they are congenital neuroepithelial cysts which might be missed or might rupture at the time of dissection. They typically arise within the third ventricle of the brain and can pose a significant risk of sudden death if left undiagnosed or untreated. These are rare entity and on cut-section, these cysts contain mucoid and gelatinous material. In this paper, we have discussed in depth about five cases of colloid cysts, most of which were brought dead to the hospital and were discovered during autopsy without any prior history suggesting the same.