Management of unexpected cerebrospinal fluid leak during endoscopic sinus surgery

Cerebrospinal fluid leak during endoscopic sinus surgery is a potentially devastating complication; however, identification and appropriate management can prevent unfavorable outcomes. The purpose of this review is to outline the recent advances in the management of cerebrospinal fluid leaks that occur during endoscopic sinus surgery.

The low incidence of this complication makes prospective and randomized study difficult. The expanding role for endoscopic skull base surgery has brought new techniques and advances in the treatment of skull base reconstruction and cerebrospinal fluid fistula repair that can be applied to intraoperative leaks that occur during sinus surgery. Recent reports have focused on the prevention, identification, repair materials, repair technique, and infectious sequelae related to this complication.

Several successful techniques that utilize a variety of materials are available for the repair of cerebrospinal fluid leaks encountered during sinus surgery. The clinical scenario will determine the appropriate use of repair material, technique, and postoperative care.