Intraspinal abscess associated with dorsal dermal sinus: A rare cause of unexplained hydrocephalus

Abstract

Hydrocephalus in children may be associated with various causes including prematurity (<37 weeks), spina bifida, head injury, stroke, blood clots, brain tumors or subarachnoid hemorrhage causing block in ventricular system. However, at times we could not find a cause for hydrocephalus and referred to it as unexplained hydrocephalus. Here, we report a case, where a female child presented with gross unexplained hydrocephalus. MRI Brain was conducted which could not rule out cause for the same. However, the child also presented with discharging dorsal dermal sinus for which MRI Spine was conducted, which turned out to be a significant finding in our study. The discharging specimen was sent for culture report. Intraspinal abscess associated with dorsal dermal sinus was noted to be a rare etiology for unexplained hydrocephalus.