Treatment of spontaneous intracranial hypotension secondary to C-2 meningeal cyst by surgical packing--case report.

A 41-year-old man presented with progressive worsening of postural headache. Computed tomography (CT) showed bilateral subdural hematomas without prior history of trauma. The diagnosis was spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). Conservative treatment with oral steroids failed to prevent gradual deterioration of the patient's consciousness. CT myelography revealed massive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage between the C-1 and C-2 levels. The leak was repaired surgically via a laminectomy. A cyst, thought to be a meningeal cyst, was discovered adjacent to the right C-2 nerve root, and CSF was seen seeping out from around the cyst after a Valsalva maneuver. The presumed dural defect of the cyst was sealed by packing with muscle fragments and fibrin glue. The symptoms disappeared soon after surgery. He was discharged 1 month after surgery without deficits. Most SIH cases are benign and can be managed conservatively, or by the epidural blood patch method. Surgery is more invasive than the epidural blood patch method, but should be performed in patients with a high cervical lesion and massive CSF leakage.