Case report of a cervical myelomalacia caused by a thoracolumbar intradural disc herniation leading to intracranial hypotension

Abstract

A 50-year-old patient was admitted with symptoms of intracranial hypotension. MRI revealed a cervical myelomalacia caused by engorged epidural veins leading to a stenosis of the spinal canal. This condition is rarely described in patients with hydrocephalus and ventricular shunts suffering from chronic overdrainage. However, the reason in this patient was a CSF leak caused by an intradural disc herniation at T12/L1. After surgery, symptoms resolved and the cervical myelomalacia and the swollen epidural veins disappeared on postoperative MRI.In patients with engorged cervical epidural veins without a ventricular shunt, a CSF leak has to be considered.