Spontaneous intracranial hypotension: case reports and literature review

Abstract

The clinical syndrome of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) was first proposed in 1938 and describes a headache syndrome virtually identical to the headaches, which may follow dural puncture. Orthostatic headache, low cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure, and diffuse meningeal enhancement on post-contrast T1-weighted MRI brain studies are the major features of this increasingly recognised syndrome. We describe a case series of patients diagnosed with SIH, their treatment and outcome, and a review of the literature. We propose that this is an important cause of new daily persistent headaches, which is usually relatively easy to diagnose, and if recognised early, is eminently treatable.