When does too little pressure become too much? A case of spontaneous intracranial hypotension presenting with acute loss of consciousness

Abstract

Background: We present a unique case of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) presenting with acute collapse and loss of consciousness.

Case description: The affected patient suffered an abrupt decline in level of consciousness several weeks after initial diagnosis. The patient was urgently transferred to a specialist neurosurgical unit. Imaging showed bilateral subdural fluid collections with significant associated local mass effect. The treating team faced a clinical conundrum with a lack of clarity as to whether this sudden deterioration was secondary to the local pressure effect on brainstem traction from reduced intracranial pressure. A decision was made to proceed with urgent burr-hole decompression of the bilateral subdural fluid collections.

Conclusion: After a protracted, complex postoperative course, the patient recovered to full functional independence. To the author's knowledge, this is the first case in literature describing successful surgical management of SIH, with bilateral burr-hole evacuation to relieve the paradoxical mass effect of bilateral subdural fluid collections.

Keywords: Cerebrospinal fluid effusion; Essential intracranial hypotension; Neurosurgery; Spontaneous subdural surgical management.