Abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical manifestations of and treatment for surgery of Rathke cleft cysts in children.Methods The retrospective research is based on the analyses of 18 cases of Rathke cleft cysts in children between 1993 to 2003 in Tiantan hospital treated by microsurgery and diagnosed through pathological results.Results The main clinical manifestations included pituitary dysfunction,visual disturbance and headache.All the patients under went operations.Among them,16 cases were treated through frontal craniotomy.and 2 cases were treated by transsphenoidal microsurgery.Total resection occurred in 6 cases,subtotal resection in 12 cases.In the follow-up period from 5 months to 8 years,most of the symptoms in the patients were resolved or alleviated.No patient recurred.Conclusion It is difficult to establish the correct diagnosis of Rathke cleft cysts before operation in children.Imageological examinations were multiple and nonspecific. Microsurgery can prove the diagnosis,resolve the symptoms,and it is the effective way to treat the symptomatic Rathke's cleft cysts in children.

Key words: Rathke cleft cyst, children, microsurgery