Diagnosis and Management of Paradoxical Cerebrospinal Rhinnorhea in Mondini's Dysplasia.

Objectives: To highlight a case of unilateral Mondini's dysplasia and it's potential to manifest as paradoxical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea and recurrent meningitis in an adult. Methods: A single case report with presentation and management of a patient with left sided Mondini's Dysplasia who presented with watery nasal discharge in the background of recurrent meningitis. We review the differential diagnoses and the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to management. Results: Post-auricular approach was taken and the leak was identified at the footplate of Stapes and sealed with fascia lata. The middle ear was obliterated and blind sac closure was done. The patient made a good recovery. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-024-04903-5.

Intrasphenoidal cephalocoeles: Knowing the less known.

Intrasphenoidal encephalocoeles are acquired or congenital herniations of meninges and brain parenchyma through a structural sphenoid bone defect. Acquired causes are most common, either iatrogenic, post-traumatic, or spontaneous. However, defects in the lateral wall of the sphenoid sinus are uncommon and cephalocoeles through them relatively underexplored in current literature, warranting dedicated attention to unravel their complexities. Congenital causes such as persistence of Sternberg's canal, which can lead to lateral cephalocoeles, is a rare entity, seen in two of the presented cases, based on the location of the defect with respect to the line connecting the foramen rotundum and the vidian canal (VR line). Three cases of intrasphenoidal cephalocoeles are presented; two patients presented with watery nasal discharge without prior trauma or surgery and the third case was incidentally detected in an elderly patient with intraparenchymal haemorrhage. Imaging with CT cisternography and brain MR were performed to ascertain the exact location of the leak and confirm the presence of herniated brain tissue via the defects. Patients were evaluated by otolaryngology for transnasal endoscopic repair, which was deemed unfeasible, and referred to neurosurgery for transcranial duroplasty. Contribution: These cases provide crucial insights into the aetiology of lateral intrasphenoidal cephalocoeles, offering a practical system to classify cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks based on the bony defect location. The three illustrative cases and emphasis on advanced imaging modalities refine the knowledge of their aetiology, clinical presentation and management, which hold direct clinical relevance for accurate diagnosis and tailored management of these rare anomalies.

"Sealing the Gap" : CSF Leakage Demystified-A Comprehensive Analysis of our Experience in CSF Rhinorrhea Management.

CSF (Cerebro Spinal Fluid) rhinorrhoea occurs when the fluid leaks from subarachnoid space into the nasal cavity. The study aims to find out the prevalence and demographic distribution of CSF leak and to describe the site of the CSF leak along with the management. We did a prospective study on 180 patients admitted with head injury in neurosurgery department, along with the patients who came to ENT department with unilateral nasal discharge during the time period from March 2017 to March 2021. A total of 36 cases of CSF leak were obtained during the time period. The etiology in 18 cases was head injury & the other 18 cases were either due to infectious or nontraumatic causes. In our study, 26(72.22%) patients were aged less than 50 years. Incidence was more among males compared to females. The most common etiology was head injury - 18(50%) patients followed by the spontaneous leak- 16 (44.44%) patients with the most common site as the cribriform plate. Endoscopic repair using a hadad flap was done in most of the patients. Trauma due to head injury is the most common etiology in CSF rhinorrhea with more number of patients aged less than 50 years. Most of the leaks can be repaired successfully with the use of endoscope with excellent illumination & localizing the exact site of the leak.

The Etiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea: A Tertiary Center Experience.

Introduction The aim of the present study was to describe our institution's nine years of experience in the endoscopic endonasal management of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea and to discuss the causes, sites, and outcomes.  Methodology The medical records of patients diagnosed with CSF rhinorrhea in King Abdulaziz Medical City-Jeddah (KAMC-J) between 2014 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed, and all relevant information including body mass index, medical and surgical history, and postoperative outcomes were obtained. Results A total of 20 cases were included in the present study, sixteen (80%) of which were females and four (20%) were males. The mean age of participants was 42.59±13.9 years. Nine cases (45%) were spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea and 11 (55%) were traumatic; within the traumatic group, six cases (54%) were iatrogenic either following previous neurosurgery or functional endoscopic sinus surgery, while the remaining five cases were related to motor vehicle accidents. The mean body mass index for the spontaneous CSF leak was 32 Kg/m2, and 33 Kg/m2 for the traumatic leaks, no statistically significant difference was noted. The cribriform plate was the most common site of leakage (65%). A multilayer surgical technique using facia lata graft with nasoseptal flap was the most common choice for reconstruction with a first-attempt success rate approximating 90%. A recurrence was observed in two patients only. No major complications were reported. The average length of stay was nine days. Conclusion The endoscopic endonasal repair of CSF leak is a safe and reliable procedure and is associated with high success rates and low risk of complications. Therefore, it should be preferred as a first-line treatment for CSF rhinorrhea.

CSF rhinorrhoea post COVID-19 swab: A case report and review of literature.

We report the case of a 59 year old male who presented with 2 months of persistent rhinorrhoea from left nostril post a nasal swab done for coryzal symptoms at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beta-2-transferrin confirmed it to be a CSF leak and imaging showed a left middle cranial fossa encephalocele herniating into the sphenoid sinus as the site of the leak post swab. The leak was treated endoscopically. We describe the case history and management of this exceedingly rare complication of nasal swab for respiratory testing.

Comparison Of Lumbar Drain Insertion And Conservative Management In The Treatment Of Traumatic CSF Rhinorrhoea.

BACKGROUND: Conservative management of traumatic CSF rhinorrhoea is associated with a greater risk of developing meningitis in the presence of active CSF leak. Lumbar drains have been reported to be better than conservative management alone in stopping CSF leaks following traumatic brain injury. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial enrolled 60 patients with CSF rhinorrhoea and divided them into two groups. One group was managed with conservative management plus a lumbar drain (group A) and the other was managed with conservative management alone (Group B). Length of CSF rhinorrhoea in days was estimated in both groups. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in in mean length of CSF rhinorrhoea in both groups. In group A, mean Length of CSF rhinorrhoea was found to be 3.4 days ±1.1 SD, while in group B it was 6.75 days ±1.96 SD (p=0.001). Stratification with respect to gender, age, duration and type of trauma showed similar trend (p<0.05 in all cases). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent lumbar drain insertion plus conservative management demonstrated significantly shorter length of CSF rhinorrhoea when compared to conservative management alone in the treatment of traumatic CSF rhinorrhoea.

Spontaneous Medial Cribriform CSF Leak: Endoscopic Surgical Repair with Free Mucosal Graft-Our Experience.

Cribriform plate is the commonest site of spontaneous CSF leak, the fragility of the plate and juxtaposition of arachnoid's investment to the bone, where the olfactory nerve pierces the skull made this area, a vulnerable site for CSF leak. Transnasal endoscopic approach has gained popularity for CSF leak repair over the years. To describe the 5 year experience of spontaneous medial cribriform CSF leak repair with free mucosal graft in a tertiary medical centre. All patients who underwent transnasal endoscopic repair with free mucosal graft for spontaneous medial cribriform CSF leak in our institution between 2011 and 2016 were reviewed. Twelve patients were identified, all were women with a mean age of 44.5 years. The defect was localised by preoperative computed tomography scans with 1 mm cuts and MR cisternography. Via medial approach, the mucosa surrounding the entire defect was denuded and the defect was closed with free mucosal graft harvested either from the middle turbinate or from the nasal septum and middle turbinate was finally sutured with septum to stabilise the repair. The overall success rate was 100% with the first attempt with no recurrence or postoperative complications. Follow up ranged from 1 to 5 years. The endoscopic transnasal technique with free mucosal graft for the repair of spontaneous medial cribriform CSF rhinorrhoea is associated with a very high success rate and it should be considered for majority of cases.

The value of 3D-FIESTA MRI in detecting non-iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea: correlations with endoscopic endonasal surgery.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigated the value of three-dimensional (3D) fast-imaging employing steady-state acquisition (FIESTA) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting non-iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea and compared it with regular MRI and 3D magnetisation prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (MPRAGE) MRI sequences, as well as high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) imaging. We also present the endoscopic experiences of such cases. METHOD: From June 2011 to Feb 2016, 17 patients with non-iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea were included. Seven patients had spontaneous rhinorrhoea, three patients had invasive tumours, and the remaining patients had traumatic aetiologies. All the patients underwent HRCT, regular MRI sequence imaging, 3D-MPRAGE MRI sequence imaging and 3D-FIESTA MRI sequence imaging for the preoperative evaluations of the leakages. For each patient, the CSF fistula site was confirmed by intraoperative neuronavigation and endoscopic findings. Statistical analyses were performed. All patients underwent endoscopic multilayer repair. RESULTS: The sensitivities of the HRCT, regular MRI (T1 and T2), 3D-MPRAGE and 3D-FIESTA modalities for identifying CSF leakage were 58.8 %, (11.8 % and 29.4 %), 74.7 %, and 88.2 %, respectively. The origins of the leakages included the cribriform plate (18 %), ethmoidal fovea (23 %), lateral recess of the sphenoid (17 %), sellar floor (12 %), ethmoidal roof (12 %), junction of the fovea and cribriform plate (6 %) and the junction of sellar and sphenoidal planum (6 %). Two patients required repair. The first was under local anaesthesia when the nasal packing was removed, and the second underwent repair at the same site a half-year later due to hydrocephalus. Lumbar drainage was performed in all cases. No major complications were encountered. CONCLUSIONS: The endoscopic endonasal approach is safe and effective for the treatment of CSF rhinorrhoea. The 3D-FIESTA MR modality is superior to 3D-MPRAGE MR and HRCT in the depiction of the CSF fistula site. Due to its non-invasive and reliable properties, 3D-FIESTA MR should be the preferred preoperative examination for the patients with non-iatrogenic CSF rhinorrhoea.

Spontaneous CSF Rhinorrhea Our Experience.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak occurs due to an abnormal communication between the subarachnoid space and sinonasal tract. We reported a retrospective case series of five patients of spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea. These patients were undergone successful repair with a single transnasal endoscopic procedure. This is seen in anterior part of the cribriform plate of middle aged obese females. HRCT paranasal sinus (1 mm cuts) was an effective modality of investigation in our study with ancillary investigations been CT cisternography. Endoscopic repair of CSF rhinorrhea carries a high success rate with very low morbidity rate.

Congenital CSF Rhinorrhoea sans Encephalocoele, sans Trauma, sans Tumour.

The authors describe a case of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea due to a congenital defect in cribriform plate, an anomaly that has not been described hitherto. It was successfully treated surgically.

Endonasal Endoscopic Approach in Management of Paediatric CSF Rhinorrhoea Cases.

Though endoscopic repair has been the proven to be the gold standard for the repair of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea in adult patients, the type of approach to be used in paediatric patients especially those below 5 years is still a challenge with no clear cut guidelines. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using endonasal endoscopic approach for treating paediatric patients aged less than 5 years diagnosed with cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea. This was a retrospective analysis of five cases of paediatric CSF rhinorrhoea operated in a tertiary health care centre with an age of less than 5 years from October 2002 to September 2010. All the five cases treated by endoscopic approach have no further complaints of CSF leak or meningitis with a follow up period of a minimum period of 6 months. Two cases were further detected to have meningocele and meningoencephalocele which was detected preoperatively and treated by reduction and excision respectively. The good results obtained by endoscopic closure with lack of major complications and the decreased morbidity for the patient suggests that the endoscopic approach should be considered the first line of approach in pediatric population. But we would warrant a careful selection procedure and availability of adequate expertise for this approach to avoid complications.