Intracerebral haematoma after lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage

ABSTRACT

Cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] leak is a well recognized complication of basilar skull fracture, skull base surgery and neurootological procedures. Continuous CSF drainage has been a widely accepted procedure to prevent and treat such leaks. Though generally the procedure is innocuous, it can cause complications like headache, nausea, vomiting, subdural bleeding, infection and tension pneumocephalus. Though the development of intracranial subdural haematomas have been reported in a number of cases after deliberate lumbar CSF drainage or inadvertent CSF leak following spine surgery; lumbar CSF drain causing an intracerebral haemorrhage has not been reported previously as per the authors' review of literature. We report a rare case of intracerebral haematoma following lumbar CSF drainage which was managed by timely diagnosis and early evacuation. The authors recommend close neurological monitoring of patients who require continuous lumbar drainage to detect any life-threatening complications