Acute Non-communicating Hydrocephalus Developed within 48 Hours in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Hydrocephaly is a rare manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], and the pathogenesis is still unclear. Some studies suggest cerebral venous thrombosis, immune complex deposition within the arachnoid villi, or direct post-inflammatory lesions of the central nervous system [CNS] as possible causes, but these remain unproven. We report a case of acute non-communicating hydrocephalus secondary to stenosis of the aqueduct of Sylvius. The condition developed within a 48-hour period as the result of cerebrovascular accident in a 40-year-old man with previously diagnosed SLE. The pathophysiologic mechanism of hydrocephalus in SLE is subject to various arguments and remains a dilemma facing researchers.