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Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak |
Sinonasal CSF leaks most commonly occur after head trauma but may also occur after various surgical procedures or even spontaneously. Patients may note clear fluid from one side of the nose especially when bending over. Occasionally patients develop meningitis shortly after a leak starts or even years later.
The management of CSF leaks also lends itself to a multidisciplinary approach as well. Most frequently a neurosurgeon is consulted to help with the pre- and intra-operative management.
In the majority of cases, no external incision is involved and the CSF leak can be managed using a transnasal endoscopic approach. The image guidance system is often helpful here as well for identification of the CSF leak.
Once the leak is identified it is repaired using the patient’s tissue, most commonly bone and soft tissue from the nasal cavity. Typically, the patient stays in the hospital one or two nights prior to discharge.
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