Citation

Lee JS, Ahn S, Eom KS. Arch. Craniofac. Surg. 2016; 17(4): 225-228.

Affiliation

Department of Neurosurgery, Wonkwang University Hospital, Iksan, Korea.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association)

DOI

10.7181/acfs.2016.17.4.225

PMID

28913289

PMCID

PMC5556842

Abstract

The entrapment of intracranial air from the check valve system results in a tension pneumocephalus. It should be distinguished from simple pneumocephalus because they are intracranial space-occupying masses that can threaten life. Communicating hydrocephalus is a serious and frequent complication of post-traumatic head injury. Head injury is one of the most common causes in etiopathogenesis of communicating hydrocephalus. Here, we describe a case of a 65-year-old man who developed communicating hydrocephalus after a post-traumatic tension pneumocephalus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of communicating hydrocephalus developed after a post-traumatic tension pneumocephalus. Although the exact pathogenic mechanisms underlying the cascade following trauma remain unclear, communicating hydrocephalus after a tension pneumocephalus could be considered a possible complication.

Language: en

Keywords

Complication; Head injury; Hydrocephalus; Tension pneumocephalus