Venous sinus pulsatility and the potential role of dural incompetence in idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Neurosurgery. 2012 Oct;71(4):877-83. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e318267a8f9.

Abstract

Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) remains a poorly understood and therapeutically challenging disease. Enthusiasm has emerged for endovascular therapy with stent reconstruction of dural sinus narrowing; however, a complete understanding of the hydrodynamic dysequilibrium is lacking.

Objective: To review and characterize catheter manometry findings including pulsatility changes within the venous sinuses in IIH.

Methods: Cases of venous sinus stent implantation for IIH were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Three cases of venous sinus stent implantation for treatment of IIH are reported. All cases demonstrated severe narrowing (>70%) within the transverse sinus and a high pressure gradient across the lesion (>30 mm Hg). Stent implantation resulted in pulsatility attenuation, correction of pressure gradient, and improvement of flow.

Conclusion: We report the finding of high venous sinus pulsatility attenuation after stent implantation for dural sinus narrowing and propose the hypothesis that this finding is a marker of advanced dural sinus incompetence. This characteristic may be useful in identifying patients who would benefit from endovascular stent remodeling.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Angiography, Digital Subtraction
  • Constriction, Pathologic / etiology*
  • Constriction, Pathologic / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Magnetic Resonance Angiography
  • Pseudotumor Cerebri / physiopathology*
  • Pseudotumor Cerebri / surgery*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Stents*
  • Transverse Sinuses*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Venous Pressure / physiology*