Abstract

The colloid cyst is a rare and benign congenital intracranial tumor, commonly located in the anterior part of the third ventricle. It is a rare cause of sudden death whose mechanisms of occurrence are still been discussed. We report three cases of sudden death due to colloid cyst(s) discovered at autopsy. Death occurred in a man and two women, aged 45, 43 and 33 years, respectively. Pre-mortem symptoms were mainly headache and/or syncope. The autopsy revealed the presence of colloid cyst(s) of the anterior part of the third ventricle, confirmed by a histological examination. A cerebral edema was found in two cases, and hydrocephalus in one case. We raise the clinical and pathological features of this tumor, and we discuss the mechanisms of death.

Key words: Colloid cyst, sudden death, autopsy.