[A Case of Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Associated with Cervical Spondylosis]

Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak and intracranial hypotension associated with cervical spondylosis have rarely been observed, and only a few cases are reported. A 69-year-old woman, previously treated for rectal and thyroid cancer, complained of a non-postural persistent headache. The patient regularly practiced aerobic exercise, but a month earlier she had started experiencing headache and neck pain while exercising. Computed tomography(CT)showed bilateral chronic subdural hematomas, and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)revealed diffuse dural enhancement and tonsillar herniation. We drained the subdural hematomas and replaced the ventricular reservoir to safely access the cerebrospinal fluid space. After surgery, the persistent headache disappeared for several days, but a postural headache emerged. CT myelogram showed extradural accumulation of the contrast medium at the C2-5 level with cervical spondylosis. The patient was treated with conservative therapy of bed rest and intravenous fluid hydration for two weeks, and the headache improved. CT myelogram after treatment showed no extradural accumulation of the contrast medium. Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak associated with cervical spondylosis could be induced by the repeated minor mechanical stress caused by physical exercise. Therefore, the possibility that non-postural persistent headache may be caused by spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak should not be underestimated.