[Traumatic otoliquorrhoea. Fifty patients treated surgically (author's transl)]

After a fracture in the petrous bone responsible for CSF otorrhea, the discharge continues no more than a few days and ceases spontaneously, but if prolonged, meningitis becomes a considerable risk. During the past five years, we operated on 50 cases of cerebral spinal fluid otorrheas after head injury. The surgical procedures were settled after an agreement between neurosurgeons, oto-rhino-laryngologists and neuroradiologists. 6 patients had a neurosurgical approach because of an associated brain lesion, 32 patients were operated only by otologists, 12 patients had presented an early or late meningitis. In most cases (41/50) a microsurgical exploration of the middle ear was performed: CSF was seen to be coming through the internal meatus acusticus into the middle ear, on account of a fracture, a luxation or a disinsertion of the annular ligament of the stirrup bone. The closing of the gap with muscle tissue, from the temporalis, gave good results, without recurrence of otorrhea or meningitis. This procedure may be performed easily and rapidly as soon as the CSF discharge does not cease after few days. This attitude, even if considered as preventive, is safer for the patient.