Cerebrospinal fluid leak
Encyclopedia
A cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSFL) is a medical condition when the cerebrospinal fluid
of a person leaks out of the dura mater
. This can be caused by several reasons, including spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak
, post-surgical lumbar puncture (iatrogenic)
, physical trauma
, etc. While high CSF pressure can make reclining unbearable, low CSF pressure due to a leak is often relieved somewhat by maintaining a supine position.
Cerebrospinal fluid
Cerebrospinal fluid , Liquor cerebrospinalis, is a clear, colorless, bodily fluid, that occupies the subarachnoid space and the ventricular system around and inside the brain and spinal cord...
of a person leaks out of the dura mater
Dura mater
The dura mater , or dura, is the outermost of the three layers of the meninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is derived from Mesoderm. The other two meningeal layers are the pia mater and the arachnoid mater. The dura surrounds the brain and the spinal cord and is responsible for...
. This can be caused by several reasons, including spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak
Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak
Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak syndrome is a medical condition in which the cerebrospinal fluid held in and around a human brain and spinal cord leaks out of the surrounding protective sac, the dura, for no apparent reason...
, post-surgical lumbar puncture (iatrogenic)
Lumbar puncture
A lumbar puncture is a diagnostic and at times therapeutic procedure that is performed in order to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid for biochemical, microbiological, and cytological analysis, or very rarely as a treatment to relieve increased intracranial pressure.-Indications:The...
, physical trauma
Physical trauma
Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
, etc. While high CSF pressure can make reclining unbearable, low CSF pressure due to a leak is often relieved somewhat by maintaining a supine position.