[Clinic analysis of cerebrospinal rhinorrhea in 24 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical experience of diagnosing and managing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. METHOD: Twenty-four cases of cerebrospinal rhinorrhea were analysed retrospectively from Jan 2003 to Sept 2008, among which 18 cases from department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and 6 cases from Neurosurgery. RESULT: Postoperative follow-up lasted from 4 months to 72 months. All the cases were successfully cured, among which 6 cases with conservative treatment and 18 cases under surgery, and no relapse case was found. The 18 cases under surgery included endoscopic approach (12 cases), extra-nasal approach (4 cases), transnasal approach under microscope (2 cases). CONCLUSION: It is not only minimally invasive, safety and efficiency of transnasal endoscopic technique for CSF leaks, but also without facial scarring after operation. Transnasal endoscopic approach can be preferred for the closure of uncomplicated CSF leak, located at the cribriform plate or the sphenoid sinus. The extra-nasal or intracranial approach may be an attractive option for more complicated and large CSF leak, or the leak site is not easily found with endoscopic.