Continuous cerebrospinal fluid drainage by spinal puncture for cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea after pituitary adenoma surgery

摘要

Objective: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea may be a serious complication after neurosurgery. Some of them can be treated conservatively by continuous CSF drainage with a lumbar subarachnoid catheter. On the other hand, spinal puncture may result in headache by CSF leakage. Methods: Present a 17-year-old female who suffered from CSF rhinorrhea after pituitary surgery was treated by making use of spinal puncture after failed catheter drainage. Results: The patient was successfully treated by this way. Conclusion: Spinal puncture by 16-gauge Touhy needle seems to be a possible way to substitute the traditional continuous lumbar subarachnoid catheter to drain the CSF in patients with rhinorrhea.