Fibrin-coated collagen fleece versus absorbable dural sealant for sellar closure after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery: a comparative study.

Various surgical methods to prevent postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks during transsphenoidal surgery have been reported. However, comparative studies are scarce. We aimed to compare the efficacy of a fibrin-coated collagen fleece (TachoSil) versus a dural sealant (DuraSeal) to prevent postoperative CSF leakage. We perform a retrospective study comparing two methods of sellar closure during endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) for pituitary adenoma resection: TachoSil patching versus DuraSeal packing. Data concerning diagnosis, reconstruction technique, and surgical outcomes were analyzed. The primary endpoint was postoperative CSF leak rate. We reviewed 198 consecutive patients who underwent 219 EETS for pituitary adenoma from February 2007 and July 2018. Intraoperative CSF leak occurred in 47 cases (21.5%). A total of 33 postoperative CSF leaks were observed (15.1%). A reduction of postoperative CSF leaks in the TachoSil application group compared to the conventional technique using Duraseal was observed (7.7% and 18.2%, respectively; p = 0.062; Pearson exact test) although non-statistically significant. Two patients required lumbar drainage, and no revision repair was necessary to treat postoperative CSF rhinorrhea in Tachosil group. Fibrin-coated collagen fleece patching may be a valuable method to prevent postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks during EETS for pituitary adenoma resection.