title: Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea and rhinorrhea in idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage may occur in patients with normal or increased intracranial pressure (ICP). We describe herein spontaneous CSF leakage as a result of chronic increased ICP in 4 patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Although rhinorrhea previously has been described in IIH patients, to our knowledge this is the first report of otorrhea in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients with spontaneous CSF leakage were examined between 2001 and 2011; 3 presented with rhinorrhea and 1 with otorrhea. Clinical settings and manifestations were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were found to have IIH. Three had been diagnosed with IIH several years earlier and had been noncompliant with their medical treatment, whereas in 1 patient, CSF rhinorrhea was the presenting symptom of IIH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CSF leak is a rare complication in IIH patients. We have shown that rhinorrhea can be the presenting sign in these patients and that rhinorrhea and otorrhea can be a late sign of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. eldarros@gmail.com
authors.forename: Eldar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dotan
authors.forename: Tali J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kimchi
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kesler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D065634:Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak; D002558:Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011559:Pseudotumor Cerebri / Q000150:complications*; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed