Surgical treatment of cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea. Translabyrinthine approach in posterior petrous bone fractures.

The authors intend to define the treatment of cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea according to the type of fracture involving the petrous bone. Fractures of the petrous bone causing cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea can be classified in two types: (1) fractures extending anteriorly toward the anterior foramen lacerus; (2) fractures extending posteriorly through the labyrinth to the internal auditory meatus. The former usually resolve spontaneously; the latter, because of different anatomy and embryogenesis, require a surgical procedure using a translabyrinthine approach.