Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea associated with dysplastic optic discs and a basal encephalocele: case...

A 24-year-old man presented with a history of recurrent meningitis secondary to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. The patient had bilateral optic disc dysplasia in association with a basal encephalocele, but had no midline facial anomalies. The syndrome is rare, and this is the first report of a patient with this disorder in the absence of facial or radiographic anomalies. The case serves to emphasize the importance of funduscopic examination in patients with spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea or recurrent meningitis, and stresses the value of Dextrostix examination of nasal secretions in the evaluation of suspected CSF rhinorrhea.