Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Intracerebral Hemorrhage Evacuation
09:01

Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Intracerebral Hemorrhage Evacuation

Published on: October 15, 2021

Intracranial hypertension with polyradiculopathy--early CSF diversion to optimize neurological recovery

Sapna Erat Sreedharan1, Pournamy Sarathchandran, Girish Menon

  • 1Department of Neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Medical College PO, Trivandrum, Kerala, India. sapnaerat@yahoo.com

British Journal of Neurosurgery
|March 28, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and idiopathic intracranial hypertension can cause high intracranial pressure. Two patients with severe neurological symptoms recovered fully after cerebrospinal fluid diversion.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) are differential diagnoses for young patients with isolated intracranial hypertension.
  • Raised intracranial pressure (ICP) can lead to significant neurological deficits.

Observation:

  • Two patients presented with progressive visual failure and polyradiculopathy with areflexic quadriparesis.
  • These symptoms were secondary to significantly raised ICP.

Findings:

  • Both patients underwent cerebrospinal fluid diversion.
  • Complete neurological recovery was observed in both cases following the intervention.

Implications:

  • Fulminant presentations of raised ICP with severe neurological compromise can have excellent outcomes.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid diversion is an effective treatment for specific cases of severe raised ICP.
  • Highlights the importance of considering and managing raised ICP in young patients with neurological symptoms.

More Related Videos

Microvascular Decompression: Salient Surgical Principles and Technical Nuances10:35

Microvascular Decompression: Salient Surgical Principles and Technical Nuances

Published on: July 5, 2011

Related Concept Videos

Increased Intracranial Pressure l: Introduction01:14

Increased Intracranial Pressure l: Introduction

Intracranial hypertension is a sustained elevation of intracranial pressure (ICP) above 22 mm Hg. In supine adults, normal ICP is ~7–15 mm Hg.The rigid, nonexpandable cranium contains three components—brain tissue, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)—that total ~1,700 mL in a typical adult: 1,400 mL brain (~80%), 150 mL blood (~10%), and 150 mL CSF (~10%). According to the Monro–Kellie doctrine, total intracranial volume is effectively fixed. When one component expands, CSF and venous blood...
Increased Intracranial Pressure ll: Pathophysiology01:29

Increased Intracranial Pressure ll: Pathophysiology

Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) refers to a potentially life-threatening rise in pressure inside the skull. This usually happens when there is a major change in the volume of brain tissue, blood, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — the three components inside the skull. According to the Monro-Kellie doctrine, if the volume of one component increases, the volumes of the other components must decrease to maintain normal pressure. If this does not happen, ICP rises.The process often begins with...
Cerebral Edema ll: Pathophysiology01:22

Cerebral Edema ll: Pathophysiology

Vasogenic edema is a major form of cerebral edema characterized by abnormal accumulation of fluid in the brain’s extracellular space due to disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a specialized structure composed of endothelial cells connected by tight junctions, supported by astrocytic endfeet and a basement membrane. Under normal conditions, it tightly regulates the movement of ions, proteins, and solutes between the bloodstream and brain parenchyma. When this barrier loses...
Cerebral Edema l: Introduction01:19

Cerebral Edema l: Introduction

Cerebral edema is a pathological increase in brain water content that disrupts intracranial pressure regulation and impairs neurological function. Because the cranial vault is rigid, even modest increases in tissue volume can compromise cerebral perfusion, distort neural structures, and initiate secondary injury. Cerebral edema develops through four principal mechanisms: vasogenic, cytotoxic, interstitial, and ionic.Vasogenic EdemaVasogenic edema arises from disruption of the blood–brain...
Brain Abscess l: Introduction01:26

Brain Abscess l: Introduction

A brain abscess is a focal, intracerebral infection characterized by a localized collection of pus within the brain parenchyma, resulting from microbial invasion and the body’s inflammatory response. It progresses through stages: early and late cerebritis, followed by early and late capsule formation, reflecting tissue destruction, immune response, and eventual encapsulation.Etiology and PathogenesisCausative organisms vary with source and host factors, often involving polymicrobial infections,...