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

This article focuses on intracranial colloid cysts, congenital neuroepithelial cysts typically located in the third ventricle of the brain, which can cause sudden death if undiagnosed or untreated. It presents five autopsy cases where these cysts, containing mucoid and gelatinous material, were discovered postmortem in individuals who mostly died suddenly without prior definitive diagnosis. The cysts can obstruct cerebrospinal fluid flow, leading to increased intracranial pressure, and may also cause sudden death through hypothalamic compression affecting cardiac regulation. The study emphasizes that neither cyst size, patient age, nor symptom duration reliably predict sudden death risk, and highlights the importance of careful autopsy examination and consideration of colloid cysts in patients with intermittent headaches. Early detection and neurosurgical removal offer a favorable prognosis.