Purkey Michael T, Woodworth Bradford A, Hahn Samuel, Palmer James N, Chiu Alexander G
Division of Rhinology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 2009;71(2):93-8. doi: 10.1159/000193219. Epub 2009 Jan 20.
To examine the clinical and anatomical characteristics of patients with supraorbital ethmoid (SOE) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks and encephaloceles and identify specific considerations unique to their management.
Retrospective review of patients who underwent repair of SOE CSF leaks at our institution from 2003 to 2007.
The majority of patients were women (5/8), middle-aged (mean: 54.9 years) and had a high body mass index (mean 42.3). Intracranial pressures (ICPs) were elevated in 6/8 patients. Anatomically, 6/8 patients had defects medial to the medial orbital wall (MOW; mean distance: 4.15 mm) and 2/8 had defects lateral to the MOW (mean distance: 8.14 mm). Seven out of 8 were successfully repaired endoscopically, and 1 patient with a lateral defect required an adjunctive trephination.
Patients with spontaneous SOE CSF leaks have unique clinical characteristics that include obesity and elevated ICP. Extension of a skull base defect lateral to the MOW and a narrow anterior-posterior diameter of the frontal recess are technical obstacles to endoscopic repair and may necessitate an adjunctive external approach.
