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Every year, approximately one to two people in 100,000 are diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).1 IIH is a disorder in which there is evidence of increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the head and spine without an obvious cause. Symptoms can include debilitating headaches and vision problems. Historically, shunting can be a viable treatment for relief from this condition if symptoms are not improved with other treatment options.2
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is sometimes referred to by an old name, “pseudotumor cerebri” (PTC). It is a disorder in which the intracranial pressure (ICP) within the skull is increased, without mass lesion or enlarged ventricles (the spaces within the brain).3 Anyone can develop IIH regardless of age, gender, weight, or ethnicity, but obesity is a major factor. For overweight/obese women of childbearing age, the incidence is 19 to 21 in 100,000 people.4 In the general population, it occurs in approximately one to two in 100,000 people.5 The incidence of IIH is increasing most likely due to rising rates of societal obesity, greater patient and physician awareness of the disorder, and improved diagnosis.6
Many people with the condition have debilitating symptoms that bring them to their doctors, such as:
As its name suggests, it is not fully understood what causes IIH, but it is thought the symptoms are due to a reduced outflow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF is continually produced within the brain, and there appears to be a resorption difficulty (abnormal neural hydrodynamics).7
It’s important to keep good notes starting from the first doctor’s visit, because IIH can have a variety of symptoms, and you may see several healthcare practitioners for different symptoms. You may want to have someone accompany you to appointments to help you keep track. The people you might see for diagnosis and treatment include:
Any increase in intracranial pressure is cause for concern, and your physician will rule out other disorders before making the diagnosis and offering treatment. Because IIH diagnosis may be difficult in some patients, a set of criteria, known as the Modified Dandy Criteria, were established to assist physicians.
One or more of the following tests are typically used to diagnose IIH and to rule out other conditions:
The following treatment options may be recommended by your doctor:
Lifestyle changes and oral medications are often the first treatment for someone with IIH, but if the symptoms do not improve, surgery may be the next step. One surgical treatment option involves internally directing the cerebral spinal fluid by means of an implanted device called a lumboperitoneal (LP) shunt. In many cases, both oral medication and an LP shunt are used.
If surgery is your next step, a neurosurgeon will be responsible for implanting your lumboperitoneal shunt.
Greenberg Mark S. Handbook of Neurosurgery 7th ed. Thieme Medical Publishers; 2010;713
Nadkarni TD, Rekate HL, Wallace D. Concurrent use of a lumboperitoneal shunt with programmable valve and ventricular access device in the treatment of pseudotumor cerebri: review of 40 cases. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2008;2(1):19-24.
Brazis PW. Clinical review: The surgical treatment of idiopathic pseudotumour cerebri (idiopathic intracranial hypertension). Cephalalgia. 2008;28(12):1361-1373.
Greenberg Mark S. Handbook of Neurosurgery 7th ed. Thieme Medical Publishers; 2010;713
Greenberg Mark S. Handbook of Neurosurgery 7th ed. Thieme Medical Publishers; 2010;713
Friesner D, et al, Idiopathic intracranial hypertension in the USA: the role of obesity in establishing prevalence and healthcare costs. Obes Rev. 2011 May;12(5):372-80.
Levine DN, Ventricular size in pseudotumor cerebri and the theory of impaired CSF absorption. Neurology. 1996 Jan;46(1):198-202.
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.