Endoscopic Endonasal Repair of Spontaneous and Traumatic Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea: A Review and Local Experience

Abstract

This article presents an overview of endoscopic endonasal repair of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. In recent years, endoscopic repair has become the standard of care for managing this condition, because it gradually replaces the traditional open transcranial approach. Discussion includes the etiologic classification of CSF rhinorrhea, management paradigm for each category, diagnosis algorithm, comprehensive description of the surgical technique, and an updated review of the literature regarding the safety and efficacy of this procedure. In addition, the authors present their experience, including 2 surgical videos demonstrating endoscopic repair of CSF rhinorrhea in 2 distinct clinical scenarios.

Keywords: Cerebrospinal fluid; Endoscopic endonasal approach; Paranasal sinuses; Rhinorrhea.