Case of Lumbar Schwannoma Presenting with Isolated Signs and Symptoms of Intracranial Hypertension

Abstract

Background: Hydrocephalus and intracranial hypertension are rare signs of spinal tumors when presenting in isolation, particularly with benign tumors.

Case description: Herein reported is a case of a 53-year-old woman who presented with headache, blurry vision, communicating hydrocephalus, and intracranial hypertension. No primary intracranial pathology was identified, and there were no clinical signs or symptoms of intraspinal pathology. Lumbar puncture revealed elevated opening pressure, cerebrospinal fluid protein, and suspected tumor cells in the cerebrospinal fluid, thus prompting spinal imaging. A primary lumbar schwannoma was subsequently determined to underlie her symptoms, which resolved with tumor resection.

Conclusions: Clinical suspicion of spinal pathology should be maintained in patients with unexplained intracranial hypertension, even in the absence of localizing signs of spinal pathology.

Keywords: Hydrocephalus; Intracranial hypertension; Spinal schwannoma.