Spontaneous intracranial hypotension in childhood: a case report and review of the literature

J Child Neurol. 2011 Jun;26(6):761-6. doi: 10.1177/0883073810389042. Epub 2011 Feb 22.

Abstract

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension results from 1 or more spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and generally presents with severe and persisting orthostatic headache. Diagnosis can be difficult as spontaneous intracranial hypotension is very rare in childhood and has a wide spectrum of clinical features and neuroimaging findings. Lumbar autologous epidural blood patch can be helpful for confirmation of diagnosis and symptom relief. We report a 15-year-old female with spontaneous intracranial hypotension who experienced immediate resolution of her symptoms following lumbar autologous epidural blood patch on 2 occasions, and review the literature on this well-recognized but probably underdiagnosed headache syndrome in childhood.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Blood Patch, Epidural / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Headache / complications
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Hypotension / complications
  • Intracranial Hypotension / diagnosis
  • Intracranial Hypotension / epidemiology
  • Intracranial Hypotension / etiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging