What is a brain tumor?

Pseudotumor brain is a disease similar to a brain tumor but not a brain tumor. Pseudotumor brain is increased intracranial pressure causing brain tumor-like symptoms such as headache, decreased vision. What exactly is a brain tumor?

Pseudotumor brain is a benign raised intracranial pressure that causes brain tumor-like clinical manifestations such as headache and vision problems. However, the images on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging did not show brain tumors. This disease is also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension. The disease is most common in women, especially between the ages of 20 and 50. Pseudotumor is dangerous in that if left untreated, it can lead to secondary papilledema and permanent blindness. The cause of pseudotumor cerebri is not clear. For some reason the amount of cerebrospinal fluid increases too much within the limits of the skull, leading to increased intracranial pressure when the parts of the skull exceed the allowable capacity, causing clinical manifestations. clinical Treatment with methods such as medical or surgical treatment if medical treatment does not reduce intracranial pressure. Surgery includes drainage of the ventriculostomy or surgery to open the optic cord to preserve vision.

Common symptoms of pseudogout are:
Moderate to severe headache, which usually begins behind the eye and increases with eye movement. Heart-beating tinnitus Nausea, vomiting or dizziness Visual disturbances: May cause transient blindness, lasting only a few seconds and affecting one or both eyes, blurred vision, limited bilateral vision , double vision, flashing lights Accompanied by neck, shoulder or back pain

There are many risk factors for pseudotumor brain such as :
Obesity . Obesity is associated with pseudotumor brain disease. Drugs associated with pseudotumor brain disease include: Growth hormone, tetracycline, vitamin A,... Diseases related to pseudotumor brain: Addison's disease, anemia, blood clotting disorder, Behçet's syndrome, Systemic lupus erythematosus, polycystic ovary syndrome, kidney disease, underactive parathyroid gland,...

Diagnosis is based on clinical and subclinical symptoms such as:
Eye examination shows signs of papilledema. Vision will also be checked for unusual blind spots. CT or MRI scan to look for signs of elevated CSF pressure. These types of imaging tests can also be used to differentiate them from other conditions, such as tumors or blood clots. Cerebrospinal fluid puncture. Perform a lumbar puncture to measure the pressure of the fluid in the spine and do a biochemical test of the cerebrospinal fluid to differentiate it from other conditions.

Internally medical treatment. Medications that may help relieve symptoms of pseudotumor brain disease include:
Migraine medications can relieve headaches. Glaucoma medications such as acetazolamide reduce the production of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. Diuretics such as furosemide make urinating more often. This helps the body retain less fluid, thereby reducing pressure in the skull. Surgical treatment. Surgery aimed at improving vision or raising severe intracranial pressure requires drainage of excess cerebrospinal fluid from the skull. Surgical methods include:
Open the optic nerve sheath window. This is a method of cutting the membrane around the optic nerve to allow excess water to drain out. This method has a high success rate in reducing symptoms. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage. Drain the cerebrospinal fluid by placing a thin tube in the brain or below the spine to drain excess fluid into the abdomen to allow the abdomen to absorb fluid on its own. This procedure is usually only done for severe cases where the doctor is highly qualified. Vinmec International General Hospital is a high-quality medical facility in Vietnam with a team of highly qualified medical professionals, well-trained, domestic and foreign, and experienced.
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