Gopikrishnan Rajasekar1, Prakash Nair2, Mathew Abraham1, Palak Jaiswal1. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, India. 2. Department of Neurosurgery, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, India. Electronic address: drprakashnair@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A persistent craniopharyngeal canal (PCC) is a rare cause of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea in children. The condition often coexists with other midline facial defects, such as cleft palate. Children with PCC may also have pituitary dysfunction or neoplasms, such as craniopharyngiomas within the canal. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 5-year-old girl presented with bacterial meningitis and active cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea from her left nostril. Imaging showed a large nasopharyngeal meningoencephalocele, communicating with the subarachnoid space through a persistent craniopharyngeal canal. An endonasal approach was chosen to excise the PCC and meningoencephalocele and to repair the resulting skull base defect. CONCLUSIONS: The extended endonasal approach can be used to treat PCC with nasopharyngeal encephaloceles in young children. The approach is suitable to address both conditions at the same time. The extended endonasal approach avoids potentially morbid transfacial approaches and can help in earlier recovery after surgery.
BACKGROUND: A persistent craniopharyngeal canal (PCC) is a rare cause of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea in children. The condition often coexists with other midline facial defects, such as cleft palate. Children with PCC may also have pituitary dysfunction or neoplasms, such as craniopharyngiomas within the canal. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 5-year-old girl presented with bacterial meningitis and active cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea from her left nostril. Imaging showed a large nasopharyngeal meningoencephalocele, communicating with the subarachnoid space through a persistent craniopharyngeal canal. An endonasal approach was chosen to excise the PCC and meningoencephalocele and to repair the resulting skull base defect. CONCLUSIONS: The extended endonasal approach can be used to treat PCC with nasopharyngeal encephaloceles in young children. The approach is suitable to address both conditions at the same time. The extended endonasal approach avoids potentially morbid transfacial approaches and can help in earlier recovery after surgery.