Etiology of papilledema
- Papilledema refers to passive disc edema caused by increased intracranial pressure
- It is usually bilateral, although unilateral papilledema can exist in certain conditions
Conditions causing increased intracranial tension and papilloedema:
- Congenital conditions
- craniosynostosis
- aqueductal stenosis
- Intracranial space occupying lesions (ICSOL’s)
- especially lesions in the midbrain, cerebellum, occipital lobe and parietal lobe (as they tend to cause greater block to drainage of CSF)
- Fast growing lesions result in rapid development of papilledema
- Intracranial haemorrhage
- Intracranial infections like meningitis, encephalitis
- Cerebral oedema following blunt injury to head
- Block in arachnoid granulations
- Systemic conditions
- Malignant hypertension
- Pregnancy induced hypertension
- Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
