Venous Sinus Stenting for Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Refractory to Medical Therapy
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH)Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) is a disease that affects mainly young people, and is associated with headache and loss of vision. The medical and surgical management of IIH is problematic and many patients are not treated effectively. Some cases of IIH are associated with severe stenosis of the large veins of the brain and various researchers have recently reported significant improvement in patients with IIH after the narrow veins of the brain were treated with a stent. Our project aims to evaluate the safety and long-term efficacy of venous sinus stenting in patients with severe IIH refractory to medical management.
Quantitative D-dimer Level and Anticoagulant Therapy in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Idiopathic Intracranial HypertensionIdiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a syndrome characterized by elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) of unknown etiology. The investigators aim to study the quantitative D-dimer level and the role of anticoagulant therapy in the absence of occlusive sinus thrombosis in IIH patients.
Assessment of ICP in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Using Transocular Ultrasound and Transcranial...
Idiopathic Intracranial HypertensionIdiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) is a rare disease, primarily affecting overweight females of child-bearing age. Patients suffer from increased intracranial pressure (ICP), typically resulting in headaches, visual disturbances and bilateral papilledema, pulsatile tinnitus and cognitive deficits. The disease is difficult to diagnose, treat and monitor. The only current method of measuring the ICP in day-to-day clinical practice is by lumbar puncture. This procedure is invasive, and often painful for the patient. There is an unmet need of methods that can reliable measure or estimate ICP in a non-invasive manner. Ultrasound is one such potential method, and the aim of this study is to investigate the use of ocular ultrasound and transcranial doppler to measure or estimate ICP.
Comparison of Continuous Non-Invasive and Invasive Intracranial Pressure Measurement
HydrocephalusIdiopathic Intracranial Hypertension1 moreThis research is being done to determine the accuracy of two noninvasive methods of measuring the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), also known as intracranial pressure or ICP.
Axial Length and Central Corneal Thickness in Benign Intracranial Hypertension
Benign Intracranial HypertensionPatients in for treatment of benign intracranial hypertension will undergo two tests that are not routinely performed for these patients: central corneal thickness and axial length of the eye. The data obtained from these measurements will be assessed to see if the correlate with aspects of vision loss including visual acuity, visual field status, optical coherence tomography (OCT) results, and fundus photographs.
The Effects of MAP and EtCO2 on Venous Sinus Pressures
Idiopathic Intracranial HypertensionThe purpose of this study is to further elaborate the role of both arterial blood pressure and end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration on measured venous pressures.
Stenting of Venous Sinus Stenosis for Medically Refractory Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension...
Idiopathic Intracranial HypertensionIncreased Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), also known as Pseudotumor Cerebri, is defined by increased cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) pressure in the absence of intracranial, metabolic, toxic or hormonal causes of intracranial hypertension. It is characterized by headaches, tinnitus and visual loss, due to optic atrophy, in 50% of cases. Surgical treatments, such as CSF shunt placement and optic nerve sheath fenestration (ONSF), are indicated in case of failure or non-compliance (owing to side effects) of medical treatments (that mainly includes weight loss and drugs, such as Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors). However, these surgical treatments are limited by relative high complications and recurrence rate. Indeed, improvement in visual function after ONSF is often transient and the risk of complications, including visual loss, pupillary dysfunction, and vascular complications is up to 40%. With no better treatment option, intraventricular or lumbar shunt placement has become the traditional treatment for medically refractory IIH, despite poor results. Indeed, series of patients with IIH treated with shunt replacement report a complications rate (shunt occlusion, disconnection, infection or intracranial hematoma formation) around 50% and a failure rate up to 64% within 6 months. As a consequence, shunt revision is often required and efficacy of the technique to control the disease is questionable. The role of intracranial transverse sinus stenosis in IIH has recently gained a particular interest. Despite the fact that transverse sinus stenosis in IIH may be due to increased intracranial pressure, some authors believe that the rise in intracranial pressure and its effect are worsened by the secondary appearance of the venous sinus stenosis. To date, very few complications have been reported in IIH patients with venous sinus stent placement.
An RCT of Bariatric Surgery vs a Community Weight Loss Programme for the Sustained Treatment of...
Idiopathic Intracranial HypertensionIdiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition with an unknown cause or causes. The condition is associated with raised pressure in the brain and can cause disabling daily headaches and loss of sight, which can be permanent. The raised brain pressure squashes the nerves supplying the eye (also known as papilloedema) and this can affect vision. Over 90% of patients with IIH are overweight and weight loss is the most effective treatment. Other treatments for IIH have very little current evidence to support their use. Weight loss is difficult to maintain. This trial aims to compare two methods of weight loss, bariatric surgery and the most effective dietary programme commonly available, Weight Watchers, to see which offers the most effective sustainable treatment for IIH. Bariatric surgery is recommended by the NICE clinical guidelines for patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40, or over 35 with a co-morbidity. Women suffering from IIH have a BMI on average around 38 and IIH is not recognised as a co-morbidity for bariatric surgery. This trial will recruit 64 women with IIH from Neurology and Ophthalmology clinics in UK NHS Trusts. They will be randomised and 32 participants will be allocated to the dietetic intervention arm, and be enrolled in their local Weight Watchers group. 32 participants will be allocated to the bariatric surgery arm, and will be referred to their local bariatric surgery pathway to receive bariatric surgery. Both groups of participants will be allocated to a treatment arm which is proven to bring about weight loss. Participants will then be followed up for five years, with the most important measurement being their brain pressure after one year of being in the trial. A further 20 obese women who don't suffer from IIH will be recruited to compare the baseline symptoms and biomarkers of those with IIH; they will take no further part in the study. 5 further healthy individuals will be scanned twice in an MRI test group to validate the MRI scan sequence to be used in the trial.
Optic Nerve Sheath Diameters in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Patients
Pseudotumor CerebriIdiopathic intracranial hypertensionis a type of increased intracranial pressure. Diagnosis is made by lumbar puncture, which is an invasive technique. The relationship between ICP and optic nerve sheath diameters (ONSD) were examined in our study. Thus, it was investigated whether the optic nerve sheath diameter could be used in the diagnosis of IIH. In the present study, it was found that ONSD measurement by optic USG significantly reflects increased ICP and decreasing pressure via LP is rapidly reflects to ONSD measurement. And it is suggested that ONSD measurements by optic USG, a non-invasive method, can be used in the diagnosis and follow-up of IIH patients.
Antiacne Medications Pseudotumor Cerebri
Optic Disc SwellingThe exact incidence of optic disc swelling and idiopathic intracranial hypertension in patients using antiacne medication is not known so far. The investigators hypothesize that swelling of retinal nerve fibre layer measured by optical coherence tomography is more frequent then assumed so far.