Progressive superficial siderosis despite complete remission of intracranial hypotension symptoms following epidural patching: Case report

Abstract

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) commonly results from ventral spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks and epidural patches are advocated as first‐line treatment. Complications such as superficial siderosis can arise but have previously been reported only in the context of long‐term persistent, ongoing, CSF leak and SIH. We report a case of a patient with SIH from a ventral spinal CSF leak that was treated with epidural patching and experienced complete resolution of SIH. Four years later SIH symptoms recurred, and brain magnetic resonance imaging unexpectedly showed the interval accumulation of hemosiderin pigmentation on the cerebellum and brainstem during the period when the patient was without symptoms of SIH. This case uniquely demonstrates the progression of superficial siderosis despite the apparent resolution of SIH. Our findings suggest two divergent pathophysiological outcomes from spinal ventral dural tear: (1) CSF loss causing SIH; and (2) persistent low‐level bleeding arising from the spinal dural tear leading to superficial siderosis. These divergent pathophysiologies had a discordant response to epidural patching. Epidural patching successfully treated the SIH but did not prevent the progression of superficial siderosis, indicating that some patients may require more than epidural patching despite symptom resolution. This case highlights the need for post‐treatment monitoring protocols in patients with ventral spinal CSF leaks and SIH and raises important questions about the adequacy of epidural patching in certain SIH cases arising from ventral spinal CSF leak.