[Trapped temporal horn, an unusual form of obstructive hydrocephalus: 5 case-reports].

OBJECTIVE: "Entrapped temporal horn" is an unusual form of obstructive hydrocephalus which is due to an obstacle at the trigone of the lateral ventricle that seals off the temporal horn that may act as a space occupying process. In this study, our aim was to assess the clinical presentation, imaging, pathophysiology and the management of this entity.

METHODS: The medical records of patients with entrapped temporal horn diagnosed between January 2003 and December 2012 were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS: Five patients were identified. In four cases, the condition developed after cranial surgery; an infant having two revisions of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt; an adult operated for a glioblastoma, an infant operated on for cerebral hydatidosis and an infant operated for an occipital encephalocele. In the last patient, the entrapped temporal horn revealed sarcoidosis.

CONCLUSIONS: Trapped temporal horn syndrome can act as a space occupying process and requires surgical management. Internal shunting provides good results. However, the long term outcome depends on the etiology.