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CLINICAL NOTES |

Reversal of Benign Intracranial Hypertension by Surgically Induced Weight Loss

Joseph F. Amaral, MD; William Tsiaris, MD; Thomas Morgan, MD; William R. Thompson, MD
[+] Author Affiliations

Accepted for publication Dec 30, 1986.

Reprint requests to Department of Surgery, Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy St, Providence, RI 02902 (Dr Amaral).


From the Departments of Surgery (Drs Amaral and Thompson), Ophthalmology (Dr Tsiaris), and Neurology (Dr Morgan), Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University, Providence.


Arch Surg. 1987;122(8):946-949. doi:10.1001/archsurg.1987.01400200096018
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• Weight loss is recommended in the treatment of benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) but is difficult to achieve because of the administration of steroids. A 24-year-old morbidly obese woman with BIH presented with headache, a cerebrospinal fluid pressure of 300 mm H2O, enlargement of the blind spot in the right eye, and bilateral papilledema. Treatment with steroids for one year produced an increase in weight with worsening symptoms and visual findings. Gastric exclusion surgery produced a 37-kg weight loss in six months that was associated with cessation of symptoms, reduction in cerebrospinal fluid pressure to 170 mm H2O, marked improvement in visual fields, and resolution of papilledema. This raises the possibility that gastric exclusion surgery may be an effective means to achieve weight loss and ultimately a remission in obese patients with BIH.

(Arch Surg 1987;122:946-949)

REFERENCES

Ahlskog JE, O'Neill BP:  Pseudotumor cerebri . Ann Intern Med 1982;;97:249-256.
Weisberg LA:  Benign intracranial hypertension . Medicine 1975;;54: 197-207.
Johnson I, Paterson A:  Benign intracranial hypertension . Brain 1974;;97:289-300.
Rush JA:  Pseudotumor cerebri: Clinical profile and visual outcome in 63 patients . Mayo Clin Proc 1980;;55:541-546.
Foley J:  Benign forms of intracranial hypertension: 'Toxic' and 'otic' hydrocephalus . Brain 1955;;78:1-41.
Bulens C, DeVries WAEJ, VanCrevel H:  Benign intracranial hypertension: A retrospective and follow-up study . J Neurol Sci 1979;;40:147-157.
Fishman RA:  Brain edema and disorders of intracranial pressure , in Rowland LP (ed): Merritt's Textbook of Neurology . Philadelphia, Lea & Febiger, 1984;, pp 210-215.
Greer M:  Benign intracranial hypertension: VI. Obesity . Neurology 1965;;15:382-388.
Greer M:  Management of benign intracranial hypertension . Neurosurgery 1968;;15:161-174.
Newborg B:  Pseudotumor cerebri treated by rice/reduction diet . Arch Intern Med 1974;;133:802-807.
Thompson WR, Amaral JF, Caldwell MD, et al:  Complications and weight loss in 150 consecutive gastric exclusion patients . Am J Surg 1983;;146:602-612.
Donaldson JO:  Pathogenesis of pseudotumor cerebri syndromes . Neurology 1981;;32:877-880.
Edman CD, Alman EJ, Porter JC, et al:  Identification of the estrogen product of extraglandular aromatization of plasma androstenedione . Am J Obstet Gynecol 1978;;130:439-447.
Edman CD, MacDonald PC:  Effect of obesity on conversion of plasma androstenedione to estrone in ovulatory and anovulatory young women . Am J Obstet Gynecol 1978;;130:456-461.
Amaral JF, Thompson WR, Caldwell MD, et al:  Prospective metabolic evaluation of 150 consecutive patients who underwent gastric exclusion surgery . Am J Surg 1984;;147:468-476.
Gleysteen TT, Barboriak JJ:  Improvement in heart disease risk factors after gastric bypass . Arch Surg 1983;;118:681-684.

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Ahlskog JE, O'Neill BP:  Pseudotumor cerebri . Ann Intern Med 1982;;97:249-256.
Weisberg LA:  Benign intracranial hypertension . Medicine 1975;;54: 197-207.
Johnson I, Paterson A:  Benign intracranial hypertension . Brain 1974;;97:289-300.
Rush JA:  Pseudotumor cerebri: Clinical profile and visual outcome in 63 patients . Mayo Clin Proc 1980;;55:541-546.
Foley J:  Benign forms of intracranial hypertension: 'Toxic' and 'otic' hydrocephalus . Brain 1955;;78:1-41.
Bulens C, DeVries WAEJ, VanCrevel H:  Benign intracranial hypertension: A retrospective and follow-up study . J Neurol Sci 1979;;40:147-157.
Fishman RA:  Brain edema and disorders of intracranial pressure , in Rowland LP (ed): Merritt's Textbook of Neurology . Philadelphia, Lea & Febiger, 1984;, pp 210-215.
Greer M:  Benign intracranial hypertension: VI. Obesity . Neurology 1965;;15:382-388.
Greer M:  Management of benign intracranial hypertension . Neurosurgery 1968;;15:161-174.
Newborg B:  Pseudotumor cerebri treated by rice/reduction diet . Arch Intern Med 1974;;133:802-807.
Thompson WR, Amaral JF, Caldwell MD, et al:  Complications and weight loss in 150 consecutive gastric exclusion patients . Am J Surg 1983;;146:602-612.
Donaldson JO:  Pathogenesis of pseudotumor cerebri syndromes . Neurology 1981;;32:877-880.
Edman CD, Alman EJ, Porter JC, et al:  Identification of the estrogen product of extraglandular aromatization of plasma androstenedione . Am J Obstet Gynecol 1978;;130:439-447.
Edman CD, MacDonald PC:  Effect of obesity on conversion of plasma androstenedione to estrone in ovulatory and anovulatory young women . Am J Obstet Gynecol 1978;;130:456-461.
Amaral JF, Thompson WR, Caldwell MD, et al:  Prospective metabolic evaluation of 150 consecutive patients who underwent gastric exclusion surgery . Am J Surg 1984;;147:468-476.
Gleysteen TT, Barboriak JJ:  Improvement in heart disease risk factors after gastric bypass . Arch Surg 1983;;118:681-684.

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