[Discharge of cerbrospinal fluid through the nose: late sequella of a cranial trauma]

Loss of cerebrospinal fluid through the nose is known complication of cranial fronto-basilar traumata. Such a fistula generally appears immediately or some time after the trauma; in some cases however the fistula appears a few months or years after. One of the causes of delayed fistula is the existence of leptomeningeal cyst. The clinical symptom of this fistula is often a meningitis. Detection of the fistula is performed through scinticisternography with radioactive media: in case of a leptomeningeal cyst there is a concentration of radioactivity in the fromto-basilar region. In a patient with meningitis and a known history of cranial trauma, even if the latter occurred many years before, it is wise to search for a possible cerbrospinal fluid fistula.