title: Acute hydrocephalus following cervical spinal cord injury.
abstract: We present a case of acute hydrocephalus secondary to cervical spinal cord injury in a patient with diffuse ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). A 75-year-old male patient visited the emergency department with tetraparesis and spinal shock. Imaging studies showed cervical spinal cord injury with hemorrhage and diffuse OPLL from C1 to C4. We performed decompressive laminectomy and occipitocervical fusion. Two days after surgery, his mental status had deteriorated to drowsiness with dilatation of the right pupil. Findings on brain computed tomography revealed acute hydrocephalus and subarachnoid hemorrhage in the cerebellomedullary cistern, therefore, extraventricular drainage was performed immediately. Acute hydrocephalus as a complication of cervical spine trauma is rare, however, it should be considered if the patient shows deterioration of neurologic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Gachon University, Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Sang Gu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chan Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Woo Kyung
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Hydrocephalus; Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine; Spinal cord injuries