Naso-endoscopic Surgery for Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / 中国微创外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the technique and clinical effect of naso-endoscopic surgery for cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)rhinorrhea.Methods From June 2002 to May 2007,14 patients with spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea and 28 patients with traumatic or iatrogenic CSF rhinorrhea were treated by naso-endoscopy.The CSF fistula was exposed via different surgical routes by naso-endoscopy according the sites of the lesions(including the cribriform plate or fovea ethmoidalis,sphenoid sinus,and frontal recess).Middle turbinate mucosa,fascia lata,and abdominal fat were used to repair the fistulae by using multilayer "underlay","overlay" or "Bath-plug" techniques.Results Thirty-four cases(81.0%)were cured at the first operation,4 were healed at the second attempt,and 4 were treated successfully at the third attempt.The success rate of the first operation in the patients with a fistula orifice larger than 10 mm in diameter was significantly lower than that in the patients who had a fistula orifice less than 10 mm in diameter(53.8%,7/13 vs 93.1%,27/29;?2=6.606,P=0.010).Two patients developed complications after the endoscopy(intracerebral infection in one,and hydrocephalus another),and were cured afterwards.Totally 42 patients achieved a 6-to 36-month(mean,14 months)follow-up,none of them had recurrence during this period.Conclusions Naso-endoscopic surgery is a safe,effective,and microinvasive treatment for patients with CSF rhinorrhea.Measures should be done to prevent and control the complications of the surgery.The outcomes of the treatment depend on the size of the fistula orifice.Autologous fat tissues are recommended for the repair of the fistulae larger than 10 mm in diameter.