Xiangming Cai1, Jin Yang2, Junhao Zhu3, Chao Tang2, Zixiang Cong2, Yuxiu Liu4,5, Chiyuan Ma2,6. 1. School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China. 2. Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, China. 3. School of Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. 4. Department of Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. 5. Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. 6. School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES) is one of the preferred options for skull base pathologies. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a significant complication of EES and neurosurgeons have proposed various reconstructive strategies to decrease this morbidity. We describe and compare the efficacy of these strategies. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for publications between 1990 and November 2019. We defined a reconstruction hierarchy of seven levels from inside to outside: fat graft, intracranial intradural layer (inlay), intracranial extradural layer (onlay), buttress, mucosal flap, nasal packing and lumbar drainage. A single-arm analysis was performed for the primary outcome of CSF leak rate. RESULTS: Of 3641 records identified, 48 studies met the inclusion criteria. Pituitary tumors had lower postoperative CSF leak rate than other diseases (1.8% vs. 6.5%, RD = -4.7% [-7.1%, -2.1%]). In high CSF flow group, the post-operative leak rate was reduced by application of mucosal flap (4.3% vs. without mucosal flap at 12.8%, RD = -8.5% [-15.1%, -1.9%]). The use of inlay showed potential of decreasing the post-operative leak rate (5.0% vs. 7.2%, RD = -2.2% [-7.7%, 3.3%]). In low CSF flow group, tampon was better than balloon for nasal packing (1.0% vs. 10.5%, RD = -9.5% [-16.5%, -2.4%]). CONCLUSIONS: Mucosal flap and inlay for high-flow intraoperative CSF leak and tampon (compared with balloon) for low-flow intraoperative CSF leak, improved the postoperative CSF leak rate. Further studies are required to establish more robust evidence.
BACKGROUND: Endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES) is one of the preferred options for skull base pathologies. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a significant complication of EES and neurosurgeons have proposed various reconstructive strategies to decrease this morbidity. We describe and compare the efficacy of these strategies. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for publications between 1990 and November 2019. We defined a reconstruction hierarchy of seven levels from inside to outside: fat graft, intracranial intradural layer (inlay), intracranial extradural layer (onlay), buttress, mucosal flap, nasal packing and lumbar drainage. A single-arm analysis was performed for the primary outcome of CSF leak rate. RESULTS: Of 3641 records identified, 48 studies met the inclusion criteria. Pituitary tumors had lower postoperative CSF leak rate than other diseases (1.8% vs. 6.5%, RD = -4.7% [-7.1%, -2.1%]). In high CSF flow group, the post-operative leak rate was reduced by application of mucosal flap (4.3% vs. without mucosal flap at 12.8%, RD = -8.5% [-15.1%, -1.9%]). The use of inlay showed potential of decreasing the post-operative leak rate (5.0% vs. 7.2%, RD = -2.2% [-7.7%, 3.3%]). In low CSF flow group, tampon was better than balloon for nasal packing (1.0% vs. 10.5%, RD = -9.5% [-16.5%, -2.4%]). CONCLUSIONS: Mucosal flap and inlay for high-flow intraoperative CSF leak and tampon (compared with balloon) for low-flow intraoperative CSF leak, improved the postoperative CSF leak rate. Further studies are required to establish more robust evidence.