[Pseudotumor cerebri: 19 cases in childhood].

Nineteen patients affected by Pseudotumor Cerebri and treated in the Neurosurgical Department of U.S.L. 10/D of Florence, are considered by Authors. Patients age varied from 4 to 14 years and their selection was made following Boddie, Banna and Bradley criteria published in 1974. Plain X Ray of the Skull was positive in 5 cases while ventriculography (when executed) were always normal. Quite normal were Angiography and CT scan. There were no pathological findings in CSF. The series of patients is considered analyzing somatic features, sex and possible aetiologic noxae. An interesting data is the presence of fever (39 degrees C) from 7 to 20 days before the onset of cranial hypertension. The possibility of blood-brain barrier alteration following infectious disease which causes an interstitial edema is considered and proposed by authors as a starting point for future research.