J Korean Pain Soc.  2002 Dec;15(2):198-203.

A Case of Cervical Epidural Blood Patch for Treatment of Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension

• Kim KS
• Lee DI
• Kang WJ
• Shin OY
• Kwon MI

Abstract

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a rare, relatively benign and usually self-limiting syndrome, which typically manifests as orthostatic headaches that may be associated with one or more of several other symptoms, including pain or neck stiffness, nausea, emesis, horizontal diplopia, dizziness, changes in hearing, visual blurring or visual field reductions, photophobia, interscapular pain, and occasionally face numbness or weakness, or radicular upper limb symptoms due to a low cerebrospinal fluid pressure. We report a 44-year-old man who developed intracranial hypotension syndrome without preceding events such as lumbar puncture, back trauma, surgical procedures or illnesses and who did not respond to conservative treatment. The site of the cerebrospinal fluid leakage was identified at between the C6 to C7 level using radioisotope cisternography and computerized tomographic myelography. Consequently, he underwent an autologous epidural blood patch at the C6 C7 level. His symptoms were relieved immediately without recurrence.

Keyword

Epidural blood patch; Headache; Spontaneous intracranial hypotension

MeSH Terms

Adult
Blood Patch, Epidural*
Cerebrospinal Fluid
Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure
Diplopia
Dizziness
Headache
Hearing
Humans
Hypesthesia
Intracranial Hypotension*
Myelography
Nausea
Neck
Photophobia
Recurrence
Spinal Puncture
Upper Extremity
Visual Fields
Vomiting