| Version | Summary | Created by | Modification | Content Size | Created at | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dean Liu | -- | 3204 | 2022-11-22 01:35:52 |
A spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak (sCSF leak) is a cerebrospinal fluid leak – a leak of cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord from the protective dural sac for no apparent reason. The dura mater is the tough, outermost of layer of the meninges, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. A spontaneous CSF leak, arises idiopathically, and is opposed to traumatically caused CSF leaks. It is one of several types of cerebrospinal fluid leaks caused by one or more holes in the dura. A loss of CSF greater than its rate of production leads to a decreased volume inside the skull known as intracranial hypotension. Any CSF leak is most often characterized by orthostatic headaches, which worsen when standing, and improve when lying down. Other symptoms can include neck pain or stiffness, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, and a metallic taste in the mouth. A CT scan can identify the site of a cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Once identified, the leak can often be repaired by an epidural blood patch, an injection of the patient's own blood at the site of the leak, a fibrin glue injection, or surgery. The set of symptoms associated with a sCSF leak is referred to as a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak syndrome (SCSFLS). A sCSF leak is rare, affecting five out of every 100,000 people. On average, the condition develops at age 42, and women are twice as likely to be affected. Some people with a sCSF leak have a chronic leak of cerebrospinal fluid despite repeated patching attempts, leading to long-term disability due to pain. SCSFLS was first described by German neurologist Georg Schaltenbrand in 1938 and by American neurologist Henry Woltman of the Mayo Clinic in the 1950s.