Cerebrospinal fluid fistula as a consequence of war head injury

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula as a consequence of brain missile injury and following infectious complications has been recognized for years. Different methods of treatment have been advocated. Missiles used in war cause extensive destruction of the skull and brain as a result of their high kinetic energy. On its transfer through the skull, such high kinetic energy causes fractures called "discontinuous fractures," which are distant from the entry wound and not related to the fracture of the vault. The role of the timely diagnosis of CSF fistulas and their early repair in the management of these wounds is emphasized. Data on 312 patients with missile injuries of the brain inflicted during the war in Croatia were retrieved and analyzed, with special reference to the complications of CSF fistulas and infection. Forty-five patients developed CSF fistula, 15 (33%) of them at the wound site, 23 (51%) as CSF rhinorrhea, and seven (15%) as CSF otorrhea. Six patients developed infectious complications. The presented strategy and operative approach resulted in a low incidence of infectious complications in the study series.