scholarly journals 690 Intracranial Hypotension Due to CSF Leak Secondary to Ventral Thoracic Osteophyte Complex: Resolution After Transdural Thoracic Discectomy and Dural Repair

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Kewlani ◽  
I Hussain ◽  
J Greenfield

Abstract The hallmark symptom of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is orthostatic headaches which manifests secondary to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypovolaemia. Well-recognised aetiologies include trauma which includes procedures such as lumbar punctures and spinal surgery. More recently, structural defects such as bony osteophytes and calcified or herniated discs have been attributed to mechanically compromising dural integrity consequently resulting in CSF leak and symptom manifestation. A thorough literature review noted only a handful of such cases. We report the case of a thirty-two-year-old Asian female who presented with a one-month history of new-onset progressively worsening orthostatic headaches. Workup included MRI of the thoracic spine which revealed an epidural collection of CSF consequently prompting a dynamic CT-myelogram of the spine which not only helped to confirm severe cerebral hypotension but also suggested the underlying cause as being a dorsally projecting osteophyte-complex at level T2-3. Conservative and medical management including bed rest, analgesia, mechanical compression, and epidural blood patches failed to alleviate symptoms and a permanent surgical cure was eventually sought. The surgery involved T2-T3 laminectomy and osteophytectomy and at a 3-month follow-up, complete resolution of symptoms was noted.

1998 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Giancarlo Vishteh ◽  
Wouter I. Schievink ◽  
Jonathan J. Baskin ◽  
Volker K. H. Sonntag

✓ Spontaneous intracranial hypotension due to a spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a rare but increasingly recognized cause of postural headaches. The exact cause of these CSF leaks often remains unknown. The authors treated a 32-year-old man with a unique cause of spontaneous intracranial hypotension. He suffered an excruciating headache that was exacerbated by his being in an upright position. The results of four-vessel cerebral angiography were negative; however, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain revealed pachymeningeal enhancement and hindbrain herniation. A presumptive diagnosis of spontaneous intracranial hypotension was made. Myelography revealed extrathecal contrast material ventral to the cervical spinal cord as well as an unusual midline bone spur at C5–6. The patient's symptoms did not resolve with the application of epidural blood patches, and he subsequently underwent an anterior approach to the C5–6 spur. After discectomy, a slender bone spur that had pierced the thecal sac was found. After its removal, the dural rent was closed using two interrupted prolene sutures. The patient was discharged home 2 days later. On follow up his symptoms had resolved, and on MR imaging the pachymeningeal enhancement had resolved and the cerebellar herniation had improved slightly.


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-206
Author(s):  
I. Muras ◽  
A. Scuotto ◽  
M. Maisto ◽  
F.P. Bernini

Postural headache due to low intracranial pressure is a well-known entity and is most commonly encountered following lumbar puncture. It may occur as a consequence of a medical condition (dehydratation, uremia, etc.) but in some cases no precipitating event is apparent and the intracranial hypotension is believed to have developed spontaneously. In such cases the underlying cause of the syndrome is rarely established and treatment is non specific. We describe three patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension examined with MRI of the brain. Women are more commonly affected than men in the third or fourth decades of life. Schaltenbrand (1938) proposed three mechanisms by which spontaneous intracranial hypotension may be explained: diminished CSF production; CSF hyperabsorption, CSF leakage. The defect causing a CSF leak usually remains obscure. Several cases of diffuse meningeal enhancement on MRI have recently been described, probably due to meningeal hyperaemia resulting from the low CSF pressure. Subdural fluid collections have also been detected as a result of rupture of bridging veins due to the decrease in CSF volume and downward displacement of the brain. In our cases, MRI showed a diffuse dural thickening, hyperintense in T2. Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is often a self-limiting disease, responding well to bed rest and a generous intake of oral or parenteral fluid and salt.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inês Correia ◽  
Inês Brás Marques ◽  
Rogério Ferreira ◽  
Miguel Cordeiro ◽  
Lívia Sousa

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is an important cause of new daily persistent headache. It is thought to be due to spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, which probably have a multifactorial etiology. The classic manifestation of SIH is an orthostatic headache, but other neurological symptoms may be present. An epidural blood patch is thought to be the most effective treatment, but a blind infusion may be ineffective. We describe the case of a young man who developed an acute severe headache, with pain worsening when assuming an upright posture and relief gained with recumbency. No history of previous headache, recent cranial or cervical trauma, or invasive procedures was reported. Magnetic resonance imaging showed pachymeningeal enhancement and other features consistent with SIH and pointed towards a cervical CSF leak site. After failure of conservative treatment, a targeted computer tomography-guided EBP was performed, with complete recovery.


Neurology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (19) ◽  
pp. e1638-e1645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wouter I. Schievink ◽  
M. Marcel Maya ◽  
Franklin G. Moser ◽  
Stacey Jean-Pierre ◽  
Miriam Nuño

ObjectiveTo review our experience with patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) and coma because, although disorders of consciousness may complicate SIH, no comprehensive study of such patients has been reported.MethodsUsing a prospectively maintained registry, we identified all patients with SIH in whom coma developed. Patients or their caregivers/families were contacted for follow-up. Patients were compared to a cohort of patients with SIH without coma.ResultsThe mean age of the 12 men and 3 women with SIH was 56.2 years (range 34–72 years) at the time of onset of coma. In one-third of patients, coma developed after craniotomy for subdural hematomas or for an unrelated intracranial pathology. Imaging showed brain sagging, including bilateral temporal lobe herniation, in all 15 patients and brainstem edema in 8 patients (53%). Overall, coma was reversible in 7 of 15 patients treated with epidural blood patches, in 2 of 4 treated with percutaneous glue injections, and in 6 of 6 treated surgically. Only 1 patient had residual neurologic deficit related to coma (Glasgow Outcome Scale score 4 [moderate disability]). Compared to patients with SIH without coma (n = 568), those with coma were older, more often were male, and more often underwent surgery.ConclusionsComa in SIH is rare, reversible, and invariably associated with brain sagging. Coma due to SIH may be refractory to the usual percutaneous procedures, and surgical closure of the CSF leak may be required to regain consciousness.


2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (04) ◽  
pp. e59-e65
Author(s):  
J Nicholas Higgins ◽  
Patrick R. Axon ◽  
Robert Macfarlane

AbstractSpontaneous intracranial hypotension describes the clinical syndrome brought on by a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. Orthostatic headache is the key symptom, but others include nausea, vomiting, and dizziness, as well as cognitive and mood disturbance. In severe cases, the brain slumps inside the cranium and subdural collections develop to replace lost CSF volume. Initial treatment is by bed rest, but when conservative measures fail, attention is focused on finding and plugging the leak, although this can be very difficult and some patients remain bedbound for months or years. Recently, we have proposed an alternative approach in which obstruction to cranial venous outflow would be regarded as the driving force behind a chronic elevation of CSF pressure, which eventually causes dural rupture. Instead of focusing on the site of rupture, therefore, investigation and treatment can be directed at locating and relieving the obstructing venous lesion, allowing intracranial pressure to fall, and the dural defect to heal. The case we describe illustrates this idea. Moreover, since there was a graded clinical response to successive interventions relieving venous obstruction, and eventual complete resolution, it also provides an opportunity to consider particular symptoms in relation to cerebral venous insufficiency in its own right.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. e240936
Author(s):  
Amanda Ebejer ◽  
Mithila Vijay ◽  
Thinzar Min

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is characterised by postural headache and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure of ≤6 cmH20 measured with the patient in the lateral decubitus position. Other symptoms include tinnitus, altered hearing, diplopia, photophobia, nausea and neck stiffness, and must not have occurred within a month of dural puncture. Symptoms typically remit after normalisation of CSF pressure or successful sealing of the CSF leak. An epidural blood patch (EBP) is a treatment option in those who have not responded to bed rest, fluids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or caffeine. We present a case of SIH successfully treated with both conservative measures and EBP. We compare our case with similar cases in the literature and summarise what is known about EBP for SIH to help clinicians take a more informed approach to managing such patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 316
Author(s):  
Carlos Perez-Vega ◽  
Pilar Robles-Lomelin ◽  
Isabel Robles-Lomelin ◽  
Alexandra Diaz-Alba ◽  
Victor Garcia Navarro

Background: Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is an uncommon, benign, and generally self-limiting condition caused by low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume and pressure usually caused by a CSF leak. Patients with SIH have an increased incidence of subdural hematomas (SDH), which may be bilateral and recurrent. Case Description: We report a unique case of a man presenting with SIH and bilateral SDH that were drained with bilateral craniotomies. During drain removal, the patient had an acute neurological deterioration and a CT scan showed SDH recurrence. The patient had two new recurrent SDH afterwards. After the third surgical intervention, the drain was removed in the OR with concomitant subdural saline infusion, there was no recurrence of SDH after that and the patient has had no further complications after a 2-year follow-up. Conclusion: Patients with intracranial hypotension are predisposed to form SDH. In this case, drain removal caused further decrease in intracranial pressure and triggered a new SDH formation, subdural saline irrigation masked atmospheric pressure and prevented this complication from happening again.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wouter I. Schievink ◽  
Marcel M. Maya ◽  
Franklin G. Moser ◽  
Alexander Tuchman ◽  
Rachelle B. Cruz ◽  
...  

Spontaneous CSF–venous fistulas may be present in up to one-fourth of patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension. This is a recently discovered type of CSF leak, and much remains unknown about these fistulas. Spinal CSF–venous fistulas are usually seen in coexistence with a spinal meningeal diverticulum, suggesting the presence of an underlying structural dural weakness at the proximal portion of the fistula. The authors now report the presence of soft-tissue venous/venolymphatic malformations associated with spontaneous spinal CSF–venous fistulas in 2 patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension, suggesting a role for distal venous pathology. In a third patient with spontaneous intracranial hypotension and a venolymphatic malformation, such a CSF–venous fistula is strongly suspected.


2018 ◽  
Vol 79 (01) ◽  
pp. 091-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avital Perry ◽  
Christopher Graffeo ◽  
Christopher Marcellino ◽  
Bruce Pollock ◽  
Nicholas Wetjen ◽  
...  

Background Pediatric pituitary adenoma is a rare skull base neoplasm, accounting for 3% of all intracranial neoplasms in children and 5% of pituitary adenomas. Compared with pituitary tumors in adults, secreting tumors predominate and longer disease trajectories are expected due to the patient age resulting in a natural history and treatment paradigm that is complex and controversial. Objectives The aims of this study were to describe a large, single-institution series of pediatric pituitary adenomas with extensive long-term follow-up and to conduct a systematic review examining outcomes after pituitary adenoma surgery in the pediatric population. Methods The study cohort was compiled by searching institutional pathology and operative reports using diagnosis and site codes for pituitary and sellar pathology, from 1956 to 2016. Systematic review of the English language literature since 1970 was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Google Scholar. Results Thirty-nine surgically managed pediatric pituitary adenomas were identified, including 15 prolactinomas, 14 corticotrophs, 7 somatotrophs, and 4 non-secreting adenomas. All patients underwent transsphenoidal resection (TSR) as the initial surgical treatment. Surgical cure was achieved in 18 (46%); 21 experienced recurrent/persistent disease, with secondary treatments including repeat surgery in 10, radiation in 14, adjuvant pharmacotherapy in 11, and bilateral adrenalectomy in 3. At the last follow-up (median 87 months, range 3–581), nine remained with recurrent/persistent disease (23%).Thirty-seven publications reporting surgical series of pediatric pituitary adenomas were included, containing 1,284 patients. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting tumors were most prevalent (43%), followed by prolactin (PRL)-secreting (37%), growth hormone (GH)-secreting (12%), and nonsecreting (7%). Surgical cure was reported in 65%. Complications included pituitary insufficiency (23%), permanent visual dysfunction (6%), chronic diabetes insipidus (DI) (3%), and postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (4%). Mean follow-up was 63 months (range 0–240), with recurrent/persistent disease reported in 18% at the time of last follow-up. Conclusion Pediatric pituitary adenomas are diverse and challenging tumors with complexities far beyond those encountered in the management of routine adult pituitary disease, including nuanced decision-making, a technically demanding operative environment, high propensity for recurrence, and the potentially serious consequences of hypopituitarism with respect to fertility and growth potential in a pediatric population. Optimal treatment requires a high degree of individualization, and patients are most likely to benefit from consolidated, multidisciplinary care in highly experienced centers.


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