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| Papilledema Classification and external resources |
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| ICD-10 | H47.1 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 377.0 |
| DiseasesDB | 9580 |
| eMedicine | oph/187 |
| MeSH | D010211 |
Papilledema (or papilloedema) is optic disc swelling that is caused by increased intracranial pressure. The swelling is usually bilateral and can occur over a period of hours to weeks.citation needed
Contents |
Signs and symptoms
In its earliest stages papilledema may not cause any symptoms, but more severe papilledema leads to blurriness in vision, visual obscurations (inability to see in a particular part of the visual field for a period of time) and actual loss of vision.
Diagnosis
Checking the eyes for signs of papilledema should be carried out whenever there is a clinical suspicion of raised intracranial pressure, and is recommended in newly onset headaches. This may be done by ophthalmoscopy or slit lamp examination.
Causes
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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2008) |
- Raised intracranial pressure: brain tumor, pseudotumor cerebri or cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, Intracerebral hemorrhage
- Respiratory failure1
- Hypotonia
- Accutane (Isotrentin), which is a powerful derivative of Vitamin A, rarely causes Papilledema.
- Guillain-Barre syndrome due to elevated protein levels
- Foster Kennedy syndrome (FKS)
- Chiari Malformation
Pathophysiology
As the optic nerve sheath is continuous with the subarachnoid space of the brain (and is regarded as an extension of the central nervous system), increased pressure is transmitted through to the optic nerve. The brain itself is relatively spared from pathological consequences of high pressure. However, the anterior end of the optic nerve stops abruptly at the eye. Hence the pressure is asymmetrical and this causes a pinching and protrusion of the optic nerve at its head. The fibers of the retinal ganglion cells of the optic disc become engorged and bulge anteriorly. Persistent and extensive optic nerve head swelling, or optic disc edema, can lead to loss of these fibers and permanent visual impairment.
Treatment
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|
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (January 2008) |
The treatment depends largely on the underlying cause. For instance, raised intracranial pressure may improve with glucocorticoids, acetazolamide or surgical shunting.
References
- ^ Cameron AJ (1933). "Marked papilloedema in pulmonary emphysema". Br J Ophthalmol 17 (3): 167–9. doi:. PMID 18169104. Full text at PMC: 511527
External links
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 11 November 2008, at 02:56.
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