Surgery Therapy For Traumatic Cerebrospinal Rhinorrhea: Analysis Of 29 Cases

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of surgical intervention for traumatic cerebrospinal rhinorrhea. Methods Twenty-nine cases of traumatic cerebrospinal rhinorrhea treated with surgical intervention were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Twenty-three cases underwent craniotomy via a coronal incision, while the other six cases were treated via supraorbital keyhole approach with an eyebrow incision based on preoperative imaging location. Adequate medical treatment was available during the pre- and post-operative period. Results In the twenty-three patients who underwent craniotomy, 21 (91.3%) fully recovered, 1 gained relief of symptoms and recovered aftermedical treatment, and 1 died of recurrent intracranial infection. In those treated via keyhole approach, 5 patients (83.3 %) fully recovered, and 1 had relief of symptoms and recovered after medical treatment. The average post-operative hospital stay of the patients was 13.9 days in the patients with craniotomy using a coronal incision and 8.7 days in those who were operated on via supraorbital keyhole approach. All the recovered patients (28 cases) were followed up for 3 months without any recurrence. No significant difference in therapeutic effect was found between the two kinds of surgical interventions, but there was a significant deviation in the average post-operative hospital stay. Conclusion Both the craniotomy approach via a coronal incision and the supraorbital keyhole approach via an eyebrow incision can produce satisfactory therapeutic effect for traumatic cerebrospinal rhinorrhea. In patients whose opening of the rhinorrhea are well-located, unilateral, single and small, the supraobital keyhole approach can reduce surgical trauma and shorten the hospital stay, thus making the patients achieve better recovery.