I was always struck by the fact that they were tall and lanky, ... Then I started seeing patients who were not like that, and it seemed that quite a few had undergone bariatric surgery. I didnt know if it was a coincidence or not. - Dr. Schievink; Neurology November 11, 2014 vol. 83 no. 20 1819-1822 Karen clearly fit the Tall and Lanky category. Abstract Objective: To evaluate a possible link between bariatric surgery and spontaneous intracranial hypotension. Methods: The frequency of bariatric surgery was examined in a group of 338 patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension and compared with a group of 245 patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Results: Eleven (3.3%) of the 338 patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension had a history of bariatric surgery compared with 2 (0.8%) of the 245 patients with intracranial aneurysms (p = 0.02). Among the 11 patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension after bariatric surgery, the mean age at the time of bariatric surgery was 40.8 years (range, 26–53 years) and the mean age at the time of onset of spontaneous intracranial hypotension was 45.6 years (range, 31–59 years). Weight at the time of bariatric surgery ranged from 95 to 166 kg (mean, 130 kg) (body mass index range: 34.9–60.1 kg/m2; mean: 44.6). Weight at the time of onset of symptoms of spontaneous intracranial hypotension ranged from 52 to 106 kg (mean, 77.5 kg) (body mass index range: 19.2–32.1 kg/m2; mean: 26.4). The mean weight loss from bariatric surgery to onset of spontaneous intracranial hypotension was 52.5 kg (range, 25–98 kg). Time interval from bariatric surgery to onset of symptoms of spontaneous intracranial hypotension ranged from 3 to 241 months (mean, 56.5 months). Conclusions: This case-control study shows that bariatric surgery is a potential risk factor for spontaneous intracranial hypotension.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 12:59:59 +0000