Rhinorrhea, ventricular radiopharmaceutical stasis and communicating hydrocephalus: Evaluation by serial cisternography

Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea has been known to occur in association with hydrocephalus. The specific pathophysiology which results in a potential communication between the cerebrospinal fluid space (subarachnoid space) and the nasopharynx is unknown. The relationship of CSF movement and rhinorrhea was evaluated in ten random source mongrel dogs. These data suggest that spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea may occur during the early developmental phase of communicating hydrocephalus in dogs. At this time radiopharmaceutical movement showed ventricular entry and clearing. When the lateral ventricles enlarged, ventricular radiopharmaceutical stasis was seen and the rhinorrhea disappeared. This suggests that CSF rhinorrhea may act as a compensatory mechanism which partially protects the CSF compartment to withstand the extra CSF during the early development of communicating hydrocephalus.