Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea following COVID-19 nasal swab testing: case report

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread adoption of screening tests to quickly and accurately diagnose disease. Nasopharyngeal swab tests are among the most common utilized. We present a case of a 58 year old female who suffered a cerebrospinal fluid leak from a bony defect in the sphenoid sinus immediately following a pre-procedural COVID screening test with subsequent development of meningitis. Providers should be aware of this potential risk of nasopharyngeal swab collection. Alternate COVID screening tests may be considered in patients with a history of sinonasal or cranial base surgery.