Risk Reward Ratio

yesterday my very old friend had a seizure during a fall in tennis due to a brain cyst. i hope he gets well soon.
quit smoking damn it.

from http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/nsg/NSGCPMC/specialties/endoscopy.html

Cysts

Cysts, thin-walled collections of fluid, may form within the ventricles or in the brain itself. They may be caused by infections or tumors, but in many cases the cause is unknown. Cysts may be asymtpomatic and are often noted on CT or MRI scans performed for other reasons. In some cases, cysts may cause headaches, weakness, seizures or hydrocephalus. Arachnoid cysts are the most common type of brain cyst, and are fluid-filled sacs appearing in one of the three layers of tissue covering the central nervous system. Brain cysts which causes symptoms were traditionally treated with open brain surgery or shunting. Endoscopy now provides a minimally invasive alternative to treat these disorders. Cysts can either be removed endoscopically, or holes can be made to drain the cyst internally into the brain's nomral fluid pathways.

Colloid cysts are another type of cyst which grows inside the ventricles and may block the pathway of spinal fluid. Small colloid cysts may be observed without treatment in some cases. If the cyst is large or is causing headaches or other symptoms, treatment is usually necessary. Open brain surgery is the most common treatment for colloid cysts. In some cases, however, cysts may be removed endoscopically.