title: Intracranial hypotension secondary to spinal pathology: Diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: Spinal pathology resulting in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak and intracranial hypotension is an infrequently reported and a potentially severe cause of headaches. We present a case of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak caused by a thoracic disk herniation successfully treated with two targeted epidural blood patches. Although patients typically present with orthostatic headaches, the imaging findings of intracranial hypotension should prompt investigation of the spine for site and cause of the CSF leakage. Treatment includes autologous blood patch and surgery in refractory cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Howard University College of Medicine, 2041 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20060, United States. Electronic address: ksartip@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Kamyar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sartip
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Christiana Care Health System, 4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark, DE 19718, United States. Electronic address: gmckenna@christianacare.org.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Christiana Care Health System, 4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark, DE 19718, United States. Electronic address: mispina@christianacare.org.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Queen's University, Kidd 1, 76 Stuart Street Kingston, ON K7L 4K6, Canada. Electronic address: szgrahovac@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grahovac
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017217:Blood Patch, Epidural; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D019585:Intracranial Hypotension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: CSF leakage; Intracranial hypotension; Orthostatic headache; Postural headache; Spine