[Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak may cause intracranial hypotension].

Abstract

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is often misinterpreted as migraine or tension headache. This type of headache is, however, orthostatic and resolves in supine position. CT scan/MRI of the brain has characteristic findings, enhancement of the pachymeninges and bilateral hygroma. An extreme situation of a 70-year-old woman with sagging midbrain is described in this case report. Although this type of headache may be caused by a dural fistula with spinal fluid leak it is not necessary to locate the lesion with myelografi/MR. Timely treatment with an epidural blood patch at any lumbal level could prevent potentially life-threatening complications and the headache resolved within hours/few days.

• Authors: Ingelise Christiansen
• Journal: Ugeskrift for laeger (Ugeskr Laeger) Vol. 177 Issue 2 (Jan 05 2015) ISSN: 1603-6824 [Electronic] Denmark
• Vernacular Title: Spontan cerebrospinalvæskelækage kan give intrakraniel hypotension.
• PMID: 25557447 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Aged
• Blood Patch, Epidural
• Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak (complications, diagnosis)
• Female
• Headache (etiology)
• Humans
• Intracranial Hypotension (diagnosis, etiology)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Mesencephalon (pathology)