Abstract

To investigate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak rates after mainly endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery with and without polyethylene glycol hydrogel dural sealant (DuraSeal®), we prospectively collected data from a single-centre consecutive case series over four years from January 2007 to December 2010 inclusive. 250 patients were identified (135 male, 115 female; median age 52years, range 14-83). 180 patients received DuraSeal® (72%). 85 (34%) had intra-operative dural breach and 13 (5.2%) developed post-operative CSF leaks (3 without intra-operative dural breach) requiring lumbar drainage or formal repair. Of this group 5/251 (2.0%) patients required a formal repair. Post-operative CSF leak was seen in 5/189 (2.7%) of patients with pituitary adenoma, of which 2/5 (40%) were in cases undergoing revision surgery. 5/13 (38.4%) patients who developed a CSF leak presented with either Rathke's cleft cyst or craniopharyngioma. 3/71 patients not receiving DuraSeal® leaked (4.2%) and 10/180 patients receiving DuraSeal® leaked (5.6%). 11/234 patients without Tisseel (4.7%) and 2/16 receiving Tisseel (12.5%) leaked. 54 patients (22%) received intra-operative lumbar drains, one of whom developed subsequent CSF leak (1.9%), in contrast to 12/197 (6.1%) of patients without intra-operative lumbar drains who later developed CSF leak. The rate of post-operative CSF leak requiring re-exploration and nasoseptal flap repair was low (2.0%) in this mainly endoscopic case series without statistically significant benefit from either DuraSeal® or Tisseel. Intra-operative and post-operative lumbar drainage appears beneficial in patients at higher risk of post-operative CSF leak.