Objective: To determine the incidence of intracranial hypertension in patients with spontaneous encephalocele with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak.
Study design: Retrospective case review.
Setting: Tertiary care neurotology practice.
Patients: Patients presenting between 2008 and 2011 with spontaneous encephalocele and CSF leak in the temporal bone.
Intervention(s): Lumbar puncture with opening pressure measurement after encephalocele repair.
Main outcome measures: Patient age, sex, postoperative course, body mass index, and postoperative intracranial pressure.
Results: Of the 26 patients identified with spontaneous encephalocele with CSF leak, 9 patients had postoperative lumbar puncture data. Of those 9, 89% were female subjects, and 11% were male, with a mean age of 57 and a mean BMI of 41 kg/m (morbidly obese). The mean opening pressure was 24.5 cm H(2)O. Approximately 33% had normal intracranial pressure (mean, 15 cm H(2)O; range, 10-17 cm H(2)O); 67% had elevated intracranial pressure (mean, 29 cm H(2)O; range, 23.5-40 cm H(2)O). The incidence of BIH in the general population is 0.001%. Of the 6 with intracranial hypertension, 3 (50%) were placed on acetazolamide for fundoscopic findings, postoperative headache, and/or visual changes. Mean time to LP after repair of encephalocele was 13 months (range, 4 days to 75 months).
Conclusion: This study shows that benign intracranial hypertension is prevalent in a significant number of patients presenting with spontaneous encephalocele with CSF otorrhea at a rate much higher than is found in the general population. This finding has direct clinical implications and suggests that all patients with spontaneous encephalocele/CSF leak warrant evaluation for benign intracranial hypertension.