Simple closure following transsphenoidal surgery. Technical note. 2006

William T Couldwell, and Peter Kan, and Martin H Weiss
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. william.couldwell@hsc.utah.edu

The most common nonendocrine complication after transsphenoidal surgery is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. Many neurosurgeons have advocated the routine reconstruction of the floor of the sella turcica using autologous fat, muscle, fascia, and either cartilage or bone after transsphenoidal surgery to prevent postoperative CSF fistulas. However, the use of autologous grafting requires a second incision, prolongs operative time, and adds to the patient's postoperative discomfort. In addition, the presence of sellar packing may interfere with the interpretation of postoperative images. To avoid these disadvantages, the authors suggest that routine sellar reconstruction or closure after transsphenoidal surgery is unnecessary unless an intraoperative CSF leak is encountered. The incidence of postoperative CSF leakage in the patients reported on in this series is no higher than that reported by others, and no other complications such as pneumatocele have been encountered in approximately 2700 patients in whom no intraoperative CSF leak was encountered. The authors conclude that routine closure of the floor of the sella turcica or sphenoid is unnecessary in the absence of intraoperative CSF leak.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011183 Postoperative Complications Pathologic processes that affect patients after a surgical procedure. They may or may not be related to the disease for which the surgery was done, and they may or may not be direct results of the surgery. Complication, Postoperative,Complications, Postoperative,Postoperative Complication
D002559 Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea Discharge of cerebrospinal fluid through the nose. Common etiologies include trauma, neoplasms, and prior surgery, although the condition may occur spontaneously. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1997 Apr;116(4):442-9) Cerebrospinal Rhinorrhea,CSF Rhinorrhea,Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea, Post-Traumatic,Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea, Spontaneous,Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea, Traumatic,Post-Traumatic Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea,Post-Traumatic Rhinorrhea, Cerebrospinal Fluid,Rhinorrhea, Cerebrospinal Fluid, Post-Traumatic,Rhinorrhea, Cerebrospinal Fluid, Spontaneous,Rhinorrhea, Cerebrospinal Fluid, Traumatic,Rhinorrhea, Post-Traumatic, Cerebrospinal Fluid,Rhinorrhea, Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid,Rhinorrhea, Traumatic Cerebrospinal Fluid,Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea,Spontaneous Rhinorrhea, Cerebrospinal Fluid,Traumatic Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea,Traumatic Rhinorrhea, Cerebrospinal Fluid,CSF Rhinorrheas,Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea, Post Traumatic,Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrheas,Cerebrospinal Rhinorrheas,Post Traumatic Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea,Post Traumatic Rhinorrhea, Cerebrospinal Fluid,Rhinorrhea, CSF,Rhinorrhea, Cerebrospinal,Rhinorrhea, Cerebrospinal Fluid,Rhinorrheas, CSF,Rhinorrheas, Cerebrospinal,Rhinorrheas, Cerebrospinal Fluid
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012658 Sella Turcica A bony prominence situated on the upper surface of the body of the sphenoid bone. It houses the PITUITARY GLAND. Sella Turcicas,Turcica, Sella,Turcicas, Sella
D013100 Sphenoid Bone An irregular unpaired bone situated at the SKULL BASE and wedged between the frontal, temporal, and occipital bones (FRONTAL BONE; TEMPORAL BONE; OCCIPITAL BONE). Sphenoid bone consists of a median body and three pairs of processes resembling a bat with spread wings. The body is hollowed out in its inferior to form two large cavities (SPHENOID SINUS). Greater Sphenoid Wing,Bone, Sphenoid,Greater Sphenoid Wings,Sphenoid Bones,Sphenoid Wing, Greater
D019651 Plastic Surgery Procedures Procedures used to reconstruct, restore, or improve defective, damaged, or missing structures. Cosmetic Reconstructive Surgical Procedures,Cosmetic Surgical Procedures,Esthetic Reconstructive Surgical Procedures,Esthetic Surgical Procedures,Plastic Surgical Procedures,Reconstructive Surgical Procedures,Reconstructive Surgical Procedures, Cosmetic,Cosmetic Reconstructive Surgery,Procedure, Reconstructive Surgical,Procedures, Reconstructive Surgical,Reconstructive Surgical Procedure,Reconstructive Surgical Procedures, Esthetic,Surgical Procedure, Reconstructive,Surgical Procedures, Reconstructive,Cosmetic Reconstructive Surgeries,Cosmetic Surgical Procedure,Esthetic Surgical Procedure,Plastic Surgery Procedure,Plastic Surgical Procedure,Procedure, Cosmetic Surgical,Procedure, Esthetic Surgical,Procedure, Plastic Surgery,Procedure, Plastic Surgical,Procedures, Cosmetic Surgical,Procedures, Esthetic Surgical,Procedures, Plastic Surgery,Procedures, Plastic Surgical,Reconstructive Surgeries, Cosmetic,Reconstructive Surgery, Cosmetic,Surgeries, Cosmetic Reconstructive,Surgery Procedure, Plastic,Surgery Procedures, Plastic,Surgery, Cosmetic Reconstructive,Surgical Procedure, Cosmetic,Surgical Procedure, Esthetic,Surgical Procedure, Plastic,Surgical Procedures, Cosmetic,Surgical Procedures, Esthetic,Surgical Procedures, Plastic

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