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[Benign intracranial hypertension in childhood following mastoiditis (author's transl)]
Insights
Benign intracranial hypertension in a child, often presenting with headache and vomiting, can be caused by lateral sinus thrombosis. Prompt treatment including mastoidectomy and antibiotics leads to full recovery.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neuro-oncology
Background:
- Benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) in children presents with symptoms of increased intracranial pressure.
- Typical symptoms include headache, vomiting, choked discs, cranial suture dehiscence, and sixth nerve palsy.
Observation:
- A case report details a three-year-old boy with BIH.
- Computed tomography scans revealed no signs of a brain tumor.
- A potential cause identified was lateral sinus thrombosis secondary to occult mastoiditis, despite prior antibiotic therapy.
Findings:
- The patient underwent mastoidectomy and intensive antibiotic treatment.
- Serial lumbar punctures were also performed as part of the management.
- These interventions resulted in a complete recovery for the child.
Implications:
- This case highlights lateral sinus thrombosis as a treatable cause of BIH in pediatric patients.
- Early diagnosis and aggressive management, including surgical and antibiotic interventions, are crucial for favorable outcomes.
- It underscores the importance of considering non-tumor causes of increased intracranial pressure in children.
Abstract:
Case report concerning a three years old boy with benign intracranial hypertension. The typical symptoms are results of increased intracranial pressure, associated with headache, vomiting, choked disk, occasionally dehiscence of cranial sutures and sixth nerve paresis. In computed tomography there were no tumor signs. In childhood a possible cause in thrombosis of the lateral sinus following an occult mastoiditis after antibiotic therapy. Mastoidectomy, intensive antibiotic therapy as well as serial lumbar punctures led to complete recovery in most cases.