An Association between External Hydrocephalus in Infants and Reversible Collapse of the Venous Sinuses

Grant A. Bateman; Michael Alber; Martin U. Schuhmann

doi:10.1055/s-0033-1363092

Neuropediatrics, Table of Contents

Neuropediatrics 2014; 45(03): 183-187
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1363092

Short Communication

Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

An Association between External Hydrocephalus in Infants and Reversible Collapse of the Venous Sinuses

Authors

Grant A. Bateman

¹Department of Medical Imaging, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia

²Newcastle University Faculty of Health, Callaghan Campus, Newcastle, Australia
Michael Alber

³Department of Child Neurology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
Martin U. Schuhmann

⁴Department of Neurosurgery, Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Tuebingen University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany

Abstract

The etiology of external hydrocephalus is usually ascribed to either a delay in maturation or obstruction of the arachnoid granulations, but the arachnoid granulations are absent in neonates. Venous outflow stenoses, similar to those seen in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), have been described in external hydrocephalus. A reversible collapse of the sinuses is known to operate in IIH, but collapsible sinuses have not been previously described in infants with external hydrocephalus. Three infants with external hydrocephalus had magnetic resonance venography at differing time points during their illness. The venous sinuses varied in size depending on the cerebrospinal fluid pressure similar to IIH in adults. External hydrocephalus may be analogous to IIH in adults.

Keywords

external hydrocephalus - MR venography - venous sinus - stenosis - idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Full Text

References

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