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The bath-plug closure of anterior skull base cerebrospinal fluid leaks
1Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology, Head, and Neck Surgery, Adelaide University of Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
Background:
This study presents the technique and results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak closure by placement of a fat plug on the intracranial surface of the dura. A prospective cohort study of all consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic closure of an anterior skull base CSF leak using the bath-plug technique was performed at a tertiary care center.
Methods:
Thirty-three patients presented with CSF leaks: 6 were traumatic, 7 were spontaneous, 9 were iatrogenic, and 10 were associated with a meningoencephalocele. The average age of the patients was 40 years and the male-to-female ratio was 1.2:1. All patients underwent the bath-plug technique for closure of CSF leaks. The surgical technique was presented.
Results:
Thirty-one of the 33 patients had a successful primary closure of their CSF leak with 2 patients requiring a repeat procedure. After an average of 28 months follow-up, there were no recurrent leaks in any of the patients. This gives a primary closure success rate of 94% and a secondary closure rate of 100%.
Conclusion:
The bath-plug technique for closure of anterior skull base CSF leaks was a reliable technique for a large variety of causes.
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