Craniospinal Hypotension

Overview

Craniospinal Hypotension, also known as Intracranial Hypotension is linked as the cause of postural headaches in Superficial Siderosis. It presents as a result of the traumatic event (accident or surgery) which also caused the Superficial Siderosis. Craniospinal Hypotension is a condition caused by a dural leak of your cerebral spinal fluid.

This was my first true symptom. I could not effectively describe what was happening to doctors. I had double sciaticaOverview Peripheral neuropathy sciatica is a pseudo-sciatica... at the same time, so it was dismissed. I kept it to myself and knew something was seriously wrong.

The pain came on in a split second, felt as if, it traveled from the bottom of my spine, shot to my brain, instantly had excruciating head pain and would collapse. I had no control of any part of my body, just limp. Lying horizontal seemed to stabilize and residual pain lasted for, at least 24 hours. I was told that my eyed rolled back as if, I was having a seizure with no body movement.

After diagnosis, the search was on for the cause of the iron deposits. It was a dural tear that leaked so fast the location could not be pinpointed exactly. Had two blood patches and glue patch that were unsuccessful.

After a year of searching, doctors at Mayo agreed to try surgery. Had a laminectomy T-3 thru T-8, dura had a 1″ x 1/8″ tear repaired. It has never happened since. The pain SIH caused brought me close to suicide. 

 -Jennifer Soellner

Your body produces fresh spinal fluid every day, but if there is a leak, your body may not be able to replace enough volume to support and cushion your brain. This low volume creates a negative pressure inside your brain cavity.

The signs of craniospinal hypotension are a postural headacheOverview It is challenging to pinpoint the exact cause of su..., nausea, vomiting, neck pain, visual and hearing disturbances, and vertigo. Diagnosis is dependent on the postural component of a headache; pain increases or eases with positional changes of your head and body.

When pain becomes unmanageable one option is to repair the dural leak.

Updated: November 7, 2020

Sources:

Amrhein TJ, Befera NT, Gray L, Kranz PG. CT Fluoroscopy-Guided Blood Patching of Ventral CSF Leaks by Direct Needle Placement in the Ventral Epidural Space Using a Transforaminal Approach. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2016 Jul 7;(37):1951-6.

Beck J, Ulrich CT, Fung C, Fichtner J, Seidel K, Fiechter M, et al. Diskogenic microspurs as a major cause of intractable spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Neurology. 2016 Aug 26;87(12):1220-6.

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