Severe acute orthostatic headache: spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH)

Abstract

The most common cause of spontaneous intracranial hypotension headache is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Intracranial hypotension is characterised by diffuse pachymeningeal enhancement on cranial MRI features, low CSF pressure and orthostatic headaches mostly caused by the dural puncture. We report a 31-year-old woman who presented to our services with reports of continuous severe bifrontal headache, which increased on sitting up and resolved on lying down. MRI of the cervical and lumbosacral spine showed signs of CSF leak; hence, patient was diagnosed with spontaneous intracranial hypotension headache. A CT-guided epidural blood patch was done at L4–5 with fibrin glue injected at the site of leak. The patient’s signs and symptoms improved after the procedure.