[Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea associated with long-standing overt ventriculomegaly in adults (LOVA)].

OBJECTIVE

Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea associated with aqueductal stenosis is rare. CSF diversion is reported to be a failure in the majority of cases. The combination of the repair of the skull base and CSF diversion is reported to be successful. We describe a case successfully treated by intradural repair with ventricular drainage followed by endoscopic third ventriculostomy.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

A 28-year-old woman presented with rhinorrhea, and occasional attacks of headache, vomiting, and unconsciousness for two years. She had been diagnosed as arrested hydrocephalus for 10 years. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed triventriculomegaly with ballooning of the floor of the third ventricle, tonsilar herniation, right anterior horn herniation into the cribriform plate, and bilateral temporal lobe herniation into the temporal base.

INTERVENTION

A ventricular drain was inserted followed by dissection of the herniated brain and repair of the enlarged cribriform foramen with periosteal flap. Make sure that the bacterial culture negative, endoscopic third ventriculostomy has been performed. There is no recurrence of hydrocephalus and rhinorrhea for two years.

CONCLUSION

Direct communication between the lateral ventricle and the nasal/paranasal sinus is a rare complication of aqueductal stenosis and LOVA. Surgical repair of the skull base followed by cerebrospinal fluid diversion with endoscopic third ventriculostomy was a safe and reliable method.