Idiopathic intracranial hypertension: 12 cases treated by venous sinus stenting

• Published in: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry Vol. 74; no. 12; pp. 1662 - 1666
• Main Authors: Higgins, J N P, Cousins, C, Owler, B K, Sarkies, N, Pickard, J D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01-12-2003; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; Care and treatment; Causes and theories of causation; Causes of; Cerebrovascular Disorders - complications; Cerebrovascular Disorders - surgery; Cranial Sinuses - surgery; Diseases; Diseases of the nervous system; Female; Humans; Hypertension; idiopathic intracranial hypertension; Intracranial hypertension; Medical imaging; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Patients; Pseudotumor Cerebri - etiology; Pseudotumor Cerebri - surgery; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Sinuses; Statistics; Stent (Surgery); stenting; Stents; Thrombosis; venous sinus; Australia; United Kingdom; Human; Nervous system diseases; Prognosis; Idiopathic; Instrumentation therapy; Instrumental dilatation; Stent; Cerebral disorder; Lateral sinus; Central nervous system disease; Adult; Cranial venous sinus; Benign intracranial hypertension; Technique
• ISSN: 0022-3050; 1468-330X
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.74.12.1662

Background: The high pressures documented in the intracranial venous sinuses in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) could be the result of focal stenotic lesions in the lateral sinuses obstructing cranial venous outflow. Objective: To explore the relation between venous sinus disease and IIH. Methods: 12 patients with refractory IIH had dilatation and stenting of the venous sinuses after venography and manometry had shown intracranial venous hypertension proximal to stenoses in the lateral sinuses. Intrasinus pressures were recorded before and after the procedure and correlated with clinical outcome. Results: Intrasinus pressures were variably reduced by stenting. Five patients were rendered asymptomatic, two were improved, and five were unchanged. Conclusions: The importance of venous sinus disease in the aetiology of IIH is probably underestimated. Lateral sinus stenting shows promise as an alternative treatment to neurosurgical intervention in intractable cases.