What is a colloid cyst as Davina McCall goes into surgery to have rare brain tumour removed

Davina McCall is undergoing surgery after revealing she has a 14mm benign brain tumour, called a colloid cyst.

The colloid cyst was discovered during a scan Davina received in exchange for giving a menopause talk a few months ago, and she needs it removed so it doesn’t grow any bigger.

In a video posted on Instagram on Friday morning, Davina talked about the op and her partner Michael promised to look after her and update fans with any news.

Read more: Mum diagnosed with two brain tumours after 'being sent home from hospital with a leaflet'

She said: “It will be removed via a craniotomy – they go through the top of my head here, and through the two halves of my brain to the middle, get the cyst, empty it, take it out, and Bob’s your uncle.”

Michael then added: “Just letting people know that I will have my eye on her throughout this procedure!” And then he joked: “In fact I offered to do the operation, just to make sure it was done properly! They wouldn’t let me. She’s in very good hands.”

Davina said she will be facing a long recovery post surgery, including a nine-day stay in hospital, but she was remaining positive.

Colloid cysts affect around three people per million and according to the NHS, non-cancerous brain tumours are more common in people over the age of 50.

What is a colloid cyst?

A colloid cyst is a benign brain tumour, which means it’s a non-cancerous growth. They do not spread, but they do grow in size. They are small fluid-filled sacs located in or around the lateral and third ventricle of the brain and can sometimes cause a blockage of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF).

What causes a colloid cyst?

London Neurosurgery Partnership says there is no defining cause why a colloid cyst develops but it is thought to be present from foetal development. They do tend to grow as a person grows into an adult as it is rare to find a colloid cyst in a child.

What are symptoms of a colloid cyst?

If a colloid cyst starts to cause a blockage of CSF, symptoms can include headaches and sometimes vomiting, visual disturbances, memory problems and in extreme cases loss of consciousness and coma.

How is a colloid cyst diagnosed?

Doctors are able to identify a colloid cyst on an MRI scan.

How do you treat a colloid cyst?

If the colloid cyst is small and non-obstructive, then sometimes the doctors will do nothing but observe and keep a close eye on it. But if it is larger and likely to obstruct the CSF, then they will remove the tumour often using an endoscopic craniotomy.