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Idiopathic intracranial hypertension in a child after hemodialysis

Sambuddha Ghosh1, Krishnendu Sarkar, Subhalakshmi Mukhopadhyay

  • 1Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Kolkata, India. sambuddhaghosh@gmail.com

Pediatric Neurology
|September 23, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) in children can present without headache, challenging typical diagnoses. This case study highlights a favorable outcome with medical management and optical coherence tomography monitoring.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a neurological disorder of unknown cause, primarily affecting children.
  • Typical symptoms include headache and visual disturbances, but atypical presentations occur.
  • The prognosis for IIH without headache is considered poor.

Observation:

  • A pediatric patient with acute renal failure underwent hemodialysis.
  • The patient subsequently presented with IIH but notably lacked headache.
  • This atypical presentation posed a diagnostic and prognostic challenge.

Findings:

  • The child experienced a favorable outcome with medical therapy.
  • Serial optical coherence tomography (OCT) monitored retinal nerve fiber layer thickness.
  • OCT proved to be a valuable, noninvasive tool for assessing treatment efficacy.

Implications:

  • This case expands the understanding of IIH presentations in children.
  • Optical coherence tomography is a crucial objective measure for managing IIH.
  • Early and objective monitoring can lead to positive therapeutic results in atypical IIH cases.

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