Abstract
Background The idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is characterized by elevation of intracranial
pressure (ICP) in the absence of intracerebral space occupation or venous sinus thrombosis.
It usually occurs in obese young women but is very rare in childhood.
Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective study in the neurosurgical department of Bab El Oued
teaching hospital of Algiers over a period of 8 years from January 2008 to December
2015. We analyzed clinical data of 10 patients with IIH diagnosis, and the surgical
technique consisted of an insertion of a lumbo-peritoneal shunt.
Results In our study, 80% were women with sex ratio M/F of 0.25; the mean age was 32 years
and 60% of our patients were obese. For most of our patients, the postoperative outcome
was marked by the disappearance of the headache immediately, disappearance of strabismus
and diplopia in the following week, followed by improvement of visual function.
Conclusion The IIH is predominantly a disease of women in the childbearing age; surgical treatment
is a good option for patients who resisted medication or did not tolerate it as well
as for ICH fulminous in emergency cases.
Keywords
idiopathic - intracranial hypertension - lumbo-peritoneal
