Causes of Intracranial Hypotension: Spontaneous, Traumatic, and Iatrogenic Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks

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Cerebrospinal fluid leaks are important to recognize because they can cause debilitating symptoms for patients and have life-threatening complications. Leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the subarachnoid space can occur at the cranial or spinal level, with distinct clinical presentations, diagnostic evaluations, and treatment modalities depending on the type and location of the leak. Spontaneous, traumatic, and iatrogenic spinal CSF leaks cause reduced intracranial CSF volume and the clinicoradiologic syndrome commonly called "intracranial hypotension". This review discusses the clinical presentations, etiologies, and risk factors of spinal and cranial CSF leaks.