Surgical Questions and Answers

Free Medical and Surgical Questions And Answers

5. What are the main clinical features of a slowly progressive rise in intracranial pressure?

Correct answer:

(1) Headache: may be severe, often present when the patient wakes and is aggravated by straining or coughing.
(2) Vomiting: often without preceding nausea.
(3) Papilloedema: which may be accompanied by blurring of vision and may progress to permanent blindness.
(4) Depressed conscious level.
(5) Neck stiffness: particularly if the lesion is in the posterior fossa.
(6) Diplopia, ataxia.
(7) Enlargement of the head: in children before the sutures have fused.