Pseudotumor cerebri
Alternative names:
benign intracranial hypertension; hypertensive meningeal hydrops
Definition:
A benign process characterized by increased intracranial pressure, normal brain ventricle size, and no neurologic focal signs.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
The major symptoms of pseudotumor are a result of increased pressure within the skull (increased intracranial pressure ICP). There are many different causes of pseudotumor cerebri, and a short list is given below. The mechanism causing the elevated ICP's is not well understood. Possible causes include a defect in CSF absorption, increased cerebral edema, or increased cerebral blood volumes.
Frequent symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri are headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. Some patients may develop double vision (diplopia). In the infant, the increased intracranial pressure is manifest by a bulging fontanel and, if the infant is young enough, the cranial sutures spread (which may be felt with the fingers as a narrow gap between the bony plates).
Conditions and diseases associated with pseudotumor cerebri include:
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