Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea repaired by transcranial approach

Objective To conclude the experience of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea repaire by transcranial approach.Methods We evaluated the clinical outcomes of 33 consecutive cases of CSF rhinorrhea treated through transcranial approach from Nov.2009 to Oct.2010,all patients were examed by CT cisternography before operation.28 patients underwent coronal craniectomy; 8 patients underwent unilateral craniectomy; 20patients underwent bifrontal craniectomy; 3 patients underwenttransobital approach; 2 patients underwenffrontotemporal zygoma approach.Results CSF rhinorrhea was resolved after initial surgery in 32 of 33 patients,indicating the success rate is 97％.1 operation was failure.Conclusions Regarding cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea surgical therapy,transcranial approach is a reliable and effective method for those who failby conservative treatment and have serious skull base fracture,lost smell,or merge the intracranial lesions and whose defects are on the back wall of frontal sinus or defect area is larger and multiple. Key words: Cerebrospinal fluid;  Transcraninal approach;  Surgical outcome