Treatment Of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Research Articles

Short Postoperative Length of Stay After Lateral Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Repair.

To characterize the short-term outcomes of patients undergoing surgical repair of lateral skull base cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks followed by a shortened length of stay (LOS) protocol. Retrospective study. Tertiary medical center. Atotal of 156 adult patients from July 2016 to December 2022 who underwent repair of CSF leaks via transmastoid (TM), middle cranial fossa (MCF), or combined (TM/MCF) approaches were included. Data collected included: LOS, presentation to the emergency department (ED), need for readmission, major neurologic complications (stroke, seizure, and meningitis), and CSF leak recurrence. Approximately half of patients underwent a TM repair (49.4%), whereas the other half underwent either an MCF (3.8%) or combined TM/MCF repair (46.8%). No peri-/postoperative lumbar drains were used and only 2 (1.3%) patients were admitted to the intensive care unit after surgery. Mean LOS for the cohort was 1.1 ± 0.7 days and was longer for surgeries involving MCF (1.3 ± 0.6) compared to TM (0.8 ± 0.7). Ninety-two percent of TM cases were discharged within 24hours (32% on the same day) while for cases involving an MCF approach, 72.2% of patients were discharged within 24hours. Of the patients in the study, 6 (3.8%) presented to an ED for minor complications and no patient required readmission. Revision surgery was required for 3 (1.9%) patients for recurrent CSF leak. Our findings suggest that short LOS after surgical repair of lateral skull base defects in the treatment of CSF leak is safe and effective.

Treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leakage with prolonged use of subfascial epidural drain and antibiotics in patients of thoracic myelopathy after posterior decompression surgery.

Cerebrospinal fluid leakage (CSFL) is a prevalent and vexing complication associated with spine surgery. No standard protocol is available guiding CSFL management, especially for thoracic CSFL. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of prolonged use of subfascial epidural drain and antibiotics to treat CSFL after posterior thoracic decompression surgery. Fifty-six patients with an average age of 52.3 years (24-76 years), who underwent thoracic decompression with CSFL (group A) and 65 patients with an average age of 54.9 years (25-80 years) without CSFL (group B) were retrospectively reviewed. Patients in group A had prolonged use of subfascial drainage and antibiotics and patients in group B were treated with conventional methods. The surgical results and rate of wound related complications was compared between the two groups. The average subfascial drainage time was 7.0 ± 2.7 days (2-16 days) and 3.8 ± 1.4 days (2-7 days) in group A and B, respectively. Higher occupation rate (>49%), presence of dural ossification and higher MRI grade (>2) were more likely to presented with CSFL. In group A, four patients (7.1%) presented with deep wound infection and were successfully managed with wound debridement or intravenous antibiotics. In group B, one patient (1.5%) had a superficial wound infection and was treated with antibiotics. No patients presented with wound dehiscence, wound exudation or CSF fistulation. The occupation rate of ossified mass and presence of dural ossification were the major risk factors of CSFL. No significant difference in infection rates was observed between the patients in group A and B.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of cerebrospinal fluid drainage and lumbar puncture in the treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leakage after craniocerebral injury

Commonly used clinical treatments for intracranial hypertension include continuous lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CLCFD) and conventional lumbar puncture. However, lumbar puncture is more invasive, requires multiple punctures. CLCFD has less trauma, and drainage can be manipulated to avoid repeated lumbar puncture. However, CLCFD may also lead to complications such as intracranial hematoma and intracranial pneumothorax. Therefore, there is no agreement on which method is more effective. This study evaluated the efficacy of CLCFD and conventional lumbar puncture in the treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leakage after craniocerebral injury. The search terms 'brain injury' and 'CLCFD' were used to search CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, Longyuan, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and other databases (from inception to November 1, 2022). Inclusion criteria: (I) randomized controlled trials (RCTs), CLCFD and conventional lumbar puncture drainage for patients with cerebrospinal fluid leakage after craniocerebral injury; (II) evaluation of indicators such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage stop time, clearance time, intracranial infection and complications. Cochrane systematic review was performed to assess the quality of the literature. RevMan 5.3 software was used for systematic analysis. A total of 8 studies, involving 568 patients. There is some publication bias in the statistics. The cessation time of cerebrospinal fluid leakage (95% confidence interval (CI): -3.65 to -2.86, Z=16.21, P<0.00001), the time to return to normal pressure (95% CI: -3.13 to -2.09, Z=9.79, P<0.00001), cerebrospinal fluid clearing time (95% CI: -1.96 to -1.09, Z=6.91, P<0.00001), hospitalization time (95% CI: -1.99 to -0.91, Z=5.27, P<0.00001), incidence of intracranial infection (95% CI: 0.07-0.27, Z=5.84, P<0.00001) and complications (95% CI: 0.10-0.43, Z=4.22, P<0.0001) in the CLCFD group were lower than those in the conventional group. The cure rate of the CLCFD group was significantly higher than that of the conventional group (OR =3.75, 95% CI: 2.26-6.23, Z=5.11, P<0.00001); the difference in mortality between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Compared with conventional lumbar puncture, CLCFD can significantly increase the cure rate, shorten the recovery time of cerebrospinal fluid, and significantly reduce the incidence of intracranial infections, reduce complications, is conducive to the prognosis of patients.

The Efficacy and Safety of Lumbar Accessed Catheter-Assisted Epidural Blood Patch in Cervical and Thoracic Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage

To evaluate the clinical and radiological results of lumbar accessed catheter-assisted epidural blood patch (LACA-EBP) technique in treatment of spontaneous intracranial hypotension secondary to cervicothoracic cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Patients presenting with spontaneous intracranial hypotension where magnetic resonance imaging cisternography confirmed and localized the cerebrospinal fluid leakage at cervicothoracic levels were treated with LACA-EBP. Visual analog scale (VAS) score for headache at baseline, third day after treatment, and during long-term follow-up was used to assess the treatment response. Posttreatment VAS score ≤3 on the third day defined treatment success, and VAS score ≥4 indicated treatment failure. LACA-EBP was performed in 10 patients (7 females, 3 males) with a mean age of 38.4 ± 10.5 years. Orthostatic headache was the most common presenting symptom (10/10; 100%) followed by nausea (5/10; 50%). Pituitary gland enlargement was the most commonly observed finding on pretreatment cranial magnetic resonance imaging (9/10; 90%). On magnetic resonance imaging cisternography, 8 patients had cervical and/or thoracic fistulas, whereas 2 patients had multiple-level fistulas. LACA-EBP was successful in all patients with no complications. All patients showed a treatment response with a 72-hour VAS score ≤3. Follow-up VAS scores were available for 8 patients with a clinical follow-up duration of 1-74 months (median 7.5 months). During clinical follow-up, headache recurred in 2 patients. In our study cohort, LACA-EBP was a safe and efficacious technique in treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leakage at cervical and thoracic levels.

The Incidence and Treatment of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage Following Repair of Congenital Spinal Pathologies

Objective: The study's goal is to find out how often individuals with myelomeningocele and TCS repair have leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. Study Design: Cross-sectional Place and Duration: Women medical college Abbottabad and Children hospital and the institute of child health, Multan, during from the period July, 2021 to Dec, 2021. Methods: There were 55 participants of both sexes in this research. Those being treated ranged in age from 5 to 20 years old. After obtaining written permission, we collected demographic data on each patient, including their age, gender, and BMI measurements. There were patients who had TCS repair as well as those who had undergone myelomeningocele repair procedures. It was determined how often cerebrospinal fluid leaks occurred in patients. SPSS 22.0 was used to analyze all of the data. Results: Among 55 cases, majority were males 32 (58.2%) and 23 (41.8%) were females. Included patients had mean age 9.5±6.14 years. Frequency of CSF leak was found among 18 (32.7%) patients. The mean duration of CSF leaks was 13.11±10.34 days. In 18 patients of CSF leaks, Frequency of MMC repair was 11, TCS release was found in 3 patients and meningocele repair in 4 patients. With the use of tincture benzoyl-enhanced primary wound healing in three patients with CSF leaks during surgery, the HCP postoperative signs were resolved. HCP was found in two further patients after their sutures mended with benzoyl tinctures, and they were placed in the shunt. Conclusion: In this research, we found that CSF leaks are more common in patients having myelomeningocele and TCS repair. Skin-healing tincture benzoyl will help these people. Keywords: Cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSF), Tether cord syndrome (TCS), Myelomeningocele (MMC)

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Application of a Porcine-Derived Fibrin Sealant for the Treatment of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak in China

This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a porcine-derived fibrin sealant (PFS) for treating cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks in cranial surgery compared with sutures alone from the perspective of public hospital management in China. A decision tree model of cranial surgery patients with intraoperative CSF leak was constructed in R 3.6.3. The cost-effectiveness of using PFS with dural sutures was compared versus using sutures alone. Efficacy and safety data were obtained from a randomized controlled, single-blinded clinical trial that enrolled 200 patients (NCT03110783). Effectiveness was measured as the success rate of CSF leak treatment and the rate of postoperative complication. Hospital procurement costs were used to provide cost measurements from the hospital administrator's perspective. The PFS strategy had a higher success rate of CSF leak treatment (97.81% vs 49.21%) and a lower complication rate (9.49% vs 14.29%), based on results from the clinical trial. Using PFS also resulted in cost savings amounting to $374.97 in additional intraoperative CSF leak repairs ($18.07 vs $393.04) and $66.68 in postoperative complication treatment ($131.90 vs $198.58). Both one-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis confirmed that the model results were stable against input variations. The decision tree analysis revealed that using PFS in conjunction with sutures was associated with improved clinical performance and lower overall costs. PFS in combination with sutures is the dominant strategy for treating CSF leak from the perspective of hospital decision-makers.

Prevention and treatment of CSF leaks in congenital complex spinal lipomas.

Congenital complex spinal lipomas (CSL) are challenging lesions to treat. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks are feared complications due to the risk of infection, and subsequent scarring that may promote retethering. Much has been written in the literature on the surgical technique of CSL resection with less emphasis placed on the prevention and management of CSF leak. The authors describe the nuances in the prevention and management of CSF leaks in the context of CSL, including the operative approach, resection, closure and recommended postoperative care. CSF leaks are complications that can be minimized with deliberate steps and meticulous surgical technique.

Outcome after surgical treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leaks in spontaneous intracranial hypotension\u2014a matter of time

ObjectiveSpinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks cause spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). Microsurgery can sufficiently seal spinal CSF leaks. Yet, some patients suffer from residual symptoms. Aim of the study was to assess predictors for favorable outcome after surgical treatment of SIH.MethodsWe included consecutive patients with SIH treated surgically from January 2013 to May 2020. Subjects were surveyed by a questionnaire. Primary outcome was resolution of symptoms as rated by the patient. Secondary outcome was postoperative headache intensity on the numeric rating scale (NRS). Association between variables and outcome was assessed using univariate and multivariate regression. A cut-off value for continuous variables was calculated by a ROC analysis.ResultsSixty-nine out of 86 patients (80.2%) returned the questionnaire and were analyzed. Mean age was 46.7 years and 68.1% were female. A significant association with the primary and secondary outcome was found only for preoperative symptom duration (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001), whereby a shorter symptom duration was associated with a better outcome. Symptom duration remained a significant predictor in a multivariate model (p = 0.013). Neither sex, age, type of pathology, lumbar opening pressure, nor initial presentation were associated with the primary outcome. ROC analysis yielded treatment within 12 weeks as a cut-off for better outcome.ConclusionShorter duration of preoperative symptoms is the most powerful predictor of favorable outcome after surgical treatment of SIH. While an initial attempt of conservative treatment is justified, we advocate early definitive treatment within 12 weeks in case of persisting symptoms.

Surgical Treatment for Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks in Patients With Inner Ear Malformations.

The aim of this study is to present our technique of surgical closure in a series of patients suffering from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak due to inner ear malformations. We conducted a retrospective study in our tertiary care academic department of pediatric otolaryngology. We did include all patients who presented a CSF leak or bacterial meningitis (one episode or recurrent) related to a malformation of the inner ear. Through a retro-auricular or endaural approach we performed a filling of the vestibule cavity with multiple fragments of cartilage with perichondrium introduced through the oval window, after stapedectomy until a near-complete sealing was obtained. After the surgery, all patients received a treatment with acetazolamide during 15 days. We did evaluate our technics with the recurrence of CSF leak. Thirteen patients, from 1 to 14, were operated with our technics. With a follow-up of 4.4 ± 4.7 years, only one patient needed a second intervention. None had a novel episode of meningitis. We observed no complication. The leak was observed in the oval fossa in 11 cases. Our "minimally invasive" technique of vestibular obliteration with cartilage inserted through the oval window after stapedectomy did demonstrate its safety and reliability.

Subfascial drainage and clipping technique for treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leak following spinal surgery.

Objectives:To investigate the treatment of iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak that develops after degenerative lumbar spinal surgery with a subfascial drainage and clipping (SDC) technique.Methods:This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 46 patients who developed iatrogenic CSF leak after surgery for lumbar degenerative spine disease from 2007 to 2019. Twenty-five patients were treated with the SDC procedure (SDC group), whereas 21 were not (control group). Outcomes were compared between the two groups.Results:CSF leakage ceased within 6–9 days (average 7.4±1) after the procedure in the SDC group. In the control group, CSF leakage was controlled with conservative measures in 14 patients, and in 7 patients, lumbar external drainage was performed. Among these 7, the CSF leak was controlled by lumbar external drainage in 3, and 4 required reoperation to repair the dural defect. No infection occurred in either group. Length of hospital stay was also shorter in SDC group (8.4±1 vs 10.0±1.3 days, p < 0.001).Conclusion:The SDC technique is effective for the treatment of iatrogenic CSF leak that develops after degenerative lumbar spinal surgery.

The New Strategy for the Treatment of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Following Lumbar Surgery.

Introduction Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a common complication of surgery involving the lumbar spine. However, although there are various therapeutic options for CSF leak, there is currently no optimal technique, and the choice of therapy often depends on the surgeon's cumulative experience. The aim of this study was to describe the successful treatment of CSF leakage using blood injection therapy along the drain removal tract. Technical Note We enrolled 7 consecutive patients who underwent lumbar surgery at our institute. The surgeries performed included decompression in two patients (one microendoscopic surgery), fusion in four, and an epidural cyst resection in one. After finding a CSF leak, we injected about 10 ml of blood from the patient into the drain tract. CSF leak did not recur after the blood injection in any of the seven patients. Following just one day of bed rest, the symptoms of intracranial hypotension disappeared with no instances of worsened symptoms of back pain, lower limb pain or fever. Conclusions We propose this route of blood injection therapy as a novel method for the treatment of CSF leak after lumbar surgery.

Delayed Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage in Current Practice.

As delayed diagnosis and treatment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage are common in current practice, this study was performed to determine associated factors and discuss appropriate strategies to deal with these problems. A retrospective analysis of all cases of CSF leakage in our hospital from 2007 to 2018, including 41 patients with CSF rhinorrhea and 5 with CSF otorhinorrhea, was performed. Symptoms, associated diseases, misdiagnoses, history of skull base repair surgical, previous medical costs, and number of hospital visits before visiting our institution were reviewed. The diagnoses, surgical reconstruction methods, and prognoses of the patients were analyzed. In 18 patients, CSF leakage was spontaneous, in 14 the cause was trauma, and in the remaining 14 the origin was iatrogenic. Twelve patients had been misdiagnosed with allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, or otitis media. Twelve cases had intracranial infection and 14 suffered airway infection. Six had undergone unsuccessful craniotomy, endonasal endoscopic surgery, or ear surgery for treatment of CSF leakage before visiting our institute. This resulted in an average of 5.13 ± 1.32 referrals and medical costs of up to 20,795.7 ± 4553.80 RMB. The success rate was 97.83% after repairing CSF fistulae in our hospital. The septal floor flap (SFF) method (based on ethmoidal arteries) to treat CSF rhinorrhea showed a success rate of 100% in 12 patients. Therefore, early localization, clinical diagnosis, and appropriate repair surgery can avoid the occurrence of delayed events. Pedicled flaps, including SFF, are recommended to manage challenging CSF rhinorrhea.

Lateral Transorbital Versus Endonasal Transpterygoid Approach to the Lateral Recess of the Sphenoid Sinus—A Comparative Anatomic Study

The treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leaks of the lateral recess of the sphenoid sinus (LRSS) faces difficulties due to the deep location of the osseous defect. When treated with craniotomies, brain retraction is a concern. The endoscopic endonasal transpterygoid approach (EETA) is a direct and less invasive procedure; however, it may require transection of the vidian nerve (VN). To investigate the feasibility of a lateral transorbital approach (LTOA) as an alternative pathway to the LRSS that avoids VN sacrifice. Six embalmed heads with well-pneumatized LRSS were preselected by inspecting their computed tomography scans. One LTOA and one EETA were performed on 1 side of each specimen. The approaches were compared regarding working distance and neurovascular structures being sacrificed. The working area of the LTOA was also measured. The average working distances were 59.9 (±2.94) mm for the LTOA and 76.4 (±3.99) mm for the EETA (P <.001). The LTOA generated a working area with a diameter of 9 to 14 mm. The EETA demanded the sacrifice of VN and the sphenopalatine artery in all specimens to expose the LRSS. No neurovascular structures were found in the trajectory of the LTOA. The LTOA to the LRSS is feasible, with minimal risk of injuring neurovascular structures. It offers a shorter pathway when compared to the EETA. Although the LTOA provides no options for vascularized flap reconstruction, it allows immediate access to muscle grafts. The LTOA may serve as an alternative to treating cerebrospinal fluid leaks of the LRSS.

Sellar repair with autologous muscle and composite septal cartilage grafts for treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leakage following trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery.

Context:Many reconstructive techniques have been proposed to prevent postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage after trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery. However, no total agreement has been reached to the best technique.Aim:Assessment of the efficacy of sellar repair with autologous muscle and composite septal cartilage grafts for treatment of intraoperative and delayed postoperative CSF leakage following trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery without the use of postoperative external lumbar CSF drain.Study Design:This is a retrospective case series study, level IV evidence.Materials and Methods: Twenty three patients were involved in this study. Seventeen patients had intraoperative CSF leakage and were treated immediately by our technique. Six patients had postoperative CSF rhinorrhea and had delayed treatment with our technique after failure of conservative measures and external lumbar CSF drainage for more than three days. The technique involved intradural placement of autologous muscle graft supplemented with extradural composite septal cartilage graft, composed of a piece of the posterior cartilaginous septum with its covering mucoperichondrium on one side only to fit into the sellar defect as a double layer button.Results:CSF leak was of grade 1 in 6 patients (26.1%), grade 2 in 10 patients (43.5%) and grade 3 in 7 patients (30.4%). None of the patients in our study had postoperative CSF leak after the use of our technique during the follow up period (mean 24 ± 10.47 standard deviation months). None of the patients developed treatment-related complications. All the patients had well developed mucosal covering of the sellar defect after two months.Conclusion:Our technique of sellar repair by using autologous muscle and composite septal cartilage grafts is effective in treatment of intraoperative and delayed postoperative CSF leakage following trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery without the use of postoperative external lumbar CSF drain even in the high-output CSF leaks.

Household Cyanoacrylate is an Efficient and Safe Adhesive for Urgent Repair of Cerebrospinal Leaks

Background: Both transcranial and spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks are serious and potentially fatal conditions. Reparative surgery fails in 6% to 25% of cases. The so-called “super glue” cyanoacrylate is an acrylic resin that rapidly polymerizes in the presence of water, specifically hydroxide ions. The reaction proceeds rapidly and a strong bond is formed within seconds. Cyanoacrylate glues have been reported for their possible usefulness in the treatment of CSF leaks. Methods: In this report, the records of 1 female and 2 male patients aged between 43 and 68 years with low-pressure CSF leaks were retrospectively reviewed. The causes of fistulas were head trauma in 1 case and iatrogenicity during surgery for lumbar disc herniation in 2 cases. Results: In the 2 patients who underwent spinal surgery, primary repair was unsuccessful. The leaks were therefore sealed with cyanoacrylate glue packed between a cellulose-based hemostat and a fat plug. In the head injury case, the leak was treated with a periosteal graft attached to the injured dura with sutures. A cellulose-based hemostat followed by cynoacrylate glue was then applied. The patients have been followed up for between 3 and 6 years with no CSF leakage, infection, or neurological problems. Conclusion: Cyanoacrylate adhesive seems to be an efficient and safe alternative for the prevention of low-pressure CSF leaks.

Detection of Surgery-related Spinal Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage Using Magnetic Resonance Myelography

An incidental dural tear resulting in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage is a complication of spinal surgery, with a reported incidence of between 0.3% and 16% (1, 2). The patient is likely to experience symptoms of CSF hypovolemia, including postural headache plus nausea, vomiting, pain or tightness in the neck or back, dizziness, diplopia, photophobia, tinnitus, and/or blurred vision. The usual treatment of CSF leakage consists of drainage of the CSF through a subarachnoid catheter (3) and surgical repair of the dural tear (4), although an epidural blood patch may also be used (5). To provide appropriate treatment, it is essential to detect the exact site of CSF leakage. Among the diagnostic modalities used to determine the site of CSF leakage are magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, computed tomographic (CT) cisternography, and radioisotope cisternography. Here, we describe two patients with surgery-related CSF leakage in whom the leakage sites were accurately detected on MR myelography.

Prevention and treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leakage in anterior cervical surgery for severe ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament

Objective To investigate prevention and treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leakage (CSFL)in anterior cervical spine surgery for severe ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL).Methods A retrospective analysis of 47 patients with severe cervical OPLL (thickness of the ossified mass ＞ 5 mm,spinal stenosis ＞50％),who had undergone anterior cervical surgery between January 2008 and May 2011,was conducted.Fifteen cases of dural defect were found intraoperatively,including 11 males and 4 females,aged from 40 to 68 years (average,55.6 years).Preoperative CT scans were earefully analyzed.During the operation,the ossified mass was excised or floated and the arachnoid was reserved in order to reduce dural damage.Dural defects were repaired by suturing or covering with muscle.After surgery,patients were confined to bed rest to allow for drainage or puncture.Results All 15 patients were followed up for 12 to 18months (average,14.8 months).After operation,10 patients recovered fully without CSFL.Five patients developed CSFL,including 4 cases of spinal dural mater injury that healed within 4-6 days with bed rest and pressure dressing,and 1 case of cerebrospinal fluid pseudocyst that disappeared within 3 weeks with repeat puncture and aspiration treatment.No cases required secondary operations or shunt placement.All cases exhibited good neurological improvement.Conclusion During anterior surgical treatment for severe cervical OPLL,CSFL can be effectively prevented through eareful analysis of preoperative CT images,meticulous operative technique,reasonable handling of the ossified mass and positive repair of dural damage.Moreover,postoperative bed rest and drainage are effective to treat CSFL. Key words: Cervical vertebrae; Subdural effusion; Postoperative complications

Vascularised local and free flaps in anterior skull base reconstruction

Lesions of the anterior skull base often require sufficient closure in order to prevent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, ascending infection and/or brain tissue prolapse. The transfer of devitalized autologous, allogenic or xenogeneic material is not always sufficient particularly not in larger defects or in the recurrent situation. Here the transfer of vascularised tissue seems to be more appropriate. The anterior skull base with various complex defects of 41 patients was reconstructed in an interdisciplinary setting by vascularised, autologous tissue transfer. Minor defects (<2.5 cm in max. diameter), generally occurring after extended endoscopic skull base approaches (n = 26, among those meningiomas, recurrent CSF fistulas, chordoma, chondroblastoma, metastasis, nasal fistula), were reconstructed by a local, vascularized pedicled mucosal flap of the lower turbinate (n = 3) or septum (n = 23). Patients with major defects (>2.5 cm in max. diameter, n = 15), comprising those with malignoma, meningoencephalocele, aneurysmatic bone cyst and trauma, were repaired by a "sandwich technique" with a combination of calvarian split and galea periosteum flap in 10 patients, in one case with a temporalis muscle flap, while in 4 further patients free vascularised radial forearm flaps were used for revision after multiple unsuccessful operations elsewhere. After a mean follow-up time of 30.5 months 38 of the 41 cases were successfully repaired with respect to prevention and treatment of CSF leakage or brain tissue prolapse, only 3 cases needed surgical revision. The reconstruction of the anterior skull base bearing complex lesions is feasible using vascularised, autologous local and also distal tissue transfer in a close interdisciplinary cooperation.

Otolaryngologic Uses for Spinal Drains

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulae have been encountered by otolaryngologists often since the advent of modern endoscopic sinus surgery, otologic surgery, and skull base surgery. Treatment of CSF leaks may include bed rest, head-of-bed elevation, stool softeners, external spinal fluid drainage, and surgery. External CSF drainage is accomplished via a lumbar spinal drain. Placement of spinal drains is often performed by neurosurgeons and anesthetists. A few otolaryngologists have been trained in the placement and management of lumbar drains, but at most otolaryngology training institutions, education in lumbar drains is not provided. However, in some circumstances, it may fall to an otolaryngologist to accomplish the task. We believe that every otolaryngologist, from the generalist in private practice to the academic neuro-otologic surgeon, should understand the proper technique for the insertion and management of a lumbar drain. Otolaryngologists should be familiar with the physiologic properties of CSF, the methods used to diagnose fistulae, and the techniques used to repair leaks. External spinal drainage is an important element in the management of CSF fistulae, and it has been used in treating perilymphatic fistulae and "gushers." Much controversy surrounds its routine use. Otolaryngologists need to understand the risks, benefits, and outcomes of spinal drain use in order to decide which patients may benefit from this procedure.

Use of confirmatory imaging studies to illustrate adequate treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leak in spontaneous intracranial hypotension

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a syndrome with serious neurological sequelae. As demonstrated by the following report, recurrent episodes of SIH can be difficult to diagnose when associated with other neurosurgical procedures, such as craniectomies. In this paper, the authors demonstrate SIH presenting as a subdural hematoma with recurrence of CSF leaks. Spontaneous intracranial hypotension was further complicated by paradoxical herniation following a craniectomy. Treatment of SIH necessitated multiple epidural blood patches for CSF leaks at different spinal levels and at different times. The efficacy of each epidural blood patch was confirmed with radionuclide imaging. Confirmation of effective blood patch placement may be useful for identifying patients at risk for a failed epidural blood patch or for patients whose neurological examination results have not fully improved.