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Transnasal endoscopic closure of cerebrospinal fluid leaks
1Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
Objectives/Hypothesis:
To demonstrate an effective method for transnasal endoscopic closure of anterior skull base fistulas that does not involve lumbar drains or fat packing.
Study Design:
Retrospective.
Methods:
We reviewed the charts of 36 patients who had 37 anterior skull base defects that were repaired endoscopically between 1993 and 2001.
Results:
Thirty-three defects were successfully closed on the first attempt. Three were successfully closed on the second attempt. One large defect was repaired by neurosurgery after a failed endoscopic attempt. Our results are similar to those of other published series.
Conclusion:
Our method is effective and does not require adjuvant procedures or prolonged hospital stays.