Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a disorder characterized by increased intracranial pressure (ICP) of unknown cause, predominantly seen in women of childbearing age and associated with a history of recent weight gain
Objective: to evaluate different modalities of management in idiopathic intracranial hypertension and different outcome features of these methods .
Patient and methods : The study included thirty five IIH patients fulfilling Dandy criteria with free MRI brain. All patients underwent lumber puncture (LP) with measurement of CSF opening pressure and analysis of the released volume CSF. All patients underwent complete ophthalmological assessment, and decision making was based on the results of visual field examination
Results: twenty four patients presented with insignificant visual field changes passed smooth follow-up for 9-18 months without deterioration of visual field or recurrence of symptoms after the initial LP and the maintained medical treatment. eleven patients presented with marked visual field affection and lumbo-peritoneal shunt (LPS) was inserted urgently.
Conclusion : Visual assessment especially visual field test is a reliable indication for surgery in patients with IIH as visual acuity and color perception are generally affected late in papilledema.