[Historical and current concept of benign intracranial hypertension]

The concepts of serous meningitis, pseudotumour cerebri, hypertensive meningeal state and otitic hydrocephalus have not been considered historically as synonyms nor can they be superimposed on what is currently known as Benign Intracranial Hypertension (BIH). BIH is a syndrome of intracranial hypertension with no clinical, radiological or analytical evidence for the existence of focal or general neurological lesions or hydrocephalus, and which has a self-limiting "benign" development. At present, the diagnostic criteria usually accepted are: 1. Symptoms and signs of intracranial hypertension. 2. Absence of focal neurological symptoms and signs. 3. Absence of radiologically verified cerebral lesion. 4. C.S.F. of normal composition and high pressure. The requirement of other criteria for the diagnosis of BIH, such as angiography, to eliminate the possibility of thrombosis of venous sinuses, or continuous monitoring of C.S.F. pressure, is controversial.