[Spontaneous intracranial hypotension: case report]

Intracranial hypotension (IH) is a rare cause of acute headache. There are secondary IH (more frequently, after lumbar puncture, head and back trauma, brain and spine surgery) and essential (spontaneous intracranial hypotension SIH). SIH was first described by Schaltenbrand in 1938. This syndrome is characterized mainly by acute postural headache. The authors report a case of 45-year-old women with SIH. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed by lumbar puncture and characteristic MR. The symptoms completely regressed within 2 weeks. The treatment was based on bed rest, hypotonic solutions, steroids, caffeine. Pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of SIH are discussed.