PREVENTIVE MANAGEMENT OF CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID LEAKAGE IN TRANSLABYRINTHINE SURGERY

A simple technique can be used to prevent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) le akage through the nose and the wound in translabyrinthine surgery, Thi s method, evolved from Glasscock's technique of packing the eustachian tube, adds only 5 to 10 minutes to the procedure. The procedure was m odeled in the temporal bones of 20 human cadavers, and the findings ar e described. With this technique, no nasal CSF leaks occurred in a con secutive series of 25 patients who underwent acoustic tumor surgery. F actors thought to be necessary for the success of the technique are di scussed.