THE GALEA-FRONTALIS MYOFASCIAL FLAP IN ANTERIOR FOSSA CSF LEAKS

We report the clinical use of galea frontalis myofascial flaps in the treatment of anterior fossa cerebrospinal fluid leaks after trauma. Th is flap provides an adequately sized and vascularised barrier between the cranial and nasal cavities through which the cells of the inflamma tory response reach the target area. This technique was used in 9 case s with complete success; in 5 out of 9 patients, repair of an anterior cranial base bone defect was also performed with split calvarial bone grafts, harvested from the frontal craniotomy bone. In all patients, neither recurrence of the CSF leakage nor postoperative meningitis or its recurrence were observed.