First experience with transnasal and transseptal endoscopic and microscopic repair of anterior skull base CSF fistulae

Currently, endoscopic endonasal surgery is a valuable and safe procedure ro utinely performed for treatment of paranasal sinus disorders. Since the end oscopic technique has become popular in this area, interest has been increa sed in its possible use for some other indications such as transsphenoidal pituitary and anterior skull base surgery. In this paper, we present our experience in using the nasal endoscope for r epair of anterior skull base cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulae. Between 19 94-1999, we observed 44 patients with CSF rhinorrhea. Out of 44 patients, 3 4 had improved with the conservative treatment in two weeks, in 10 patients endoscopic surgery was performed and in one patient endoscopic surgery fai led and the defect was repaired with transsphenoidal microscopic surgery. T he remaining 9 patients were doing well and no problem was encountered conc erning the surgery.