Immediate and Delayed Complications Following Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery.

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Otolaryngology
• Oncology

Background:

• Endoscopic skull base surgery is increasingly utilized for neoplasms.
• Understanding the temporal profile of postoperative complications is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the timing and resolution rates of complications following endoscopic skull base surgery.
• To identify specific complications requiring focused long-term surveillance.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 58 patients undergoing endoscopic resection of skull base tumors (2007-2013).
• Complications were categorized by type (CSF leak, pituitary, orbital, intracranial, sinonasal) and timing (perioperative, early, delayed).

Main Results:

• Perioperative complications included diabetes insipidus (19.0%), CSF leak (5.2%), and meningitis (5.2%), with high resolution rates.
• 53.8% of complications occurred within the first week.
• Chronic rhinosinusitis was the most common delayed complication (3.4%); hypopituitarism and delayed complications showed lower resolution rates.

Conclusions:

• Early postoperative monitoring should prioritize neurologic issues and CSF leaks.
• Long-term surveillance should consider chronic rhinosinusitis.
• Hypopituitarism and delayed complications warrant careful attention due to lower resolution potential.