Role of Continuous Lumbar Drainage in Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak: A Prospective Study

ASHRAF A. OSMAN, M.D., AHMED HOSAMELDIN, M.D.;; G. ABDEL TAWAB, M.D., MOHAMED

doi:10.21608/mjcu.2019.85227

Role of Continuous Lumbar Drainage in Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak: A Prospective Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

The Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Egypt

10.21608/mjcu.2019.85227

Abstract

Abstract Background: Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) leak is one of the most disturbing issues that face neurosurgeons. Aim of Study: The aim of this study is to illustrate the efficacy of Continuous Lumbar Drainage (CLD) as a prophy-lactic and therapeutic method for CSF leak with assessment of clinical outcome and early post-operative sequelae. Patients and Methods: This study was prospectively conducted on patients with traumatic or post-operative CSF leak and those susceptible for post-operative CSF leak as skull base and spinal intradural surgeries in the period from May 2015 to November 2015 at the Neurosurgery Departments of Cairo and Fayoum Universities. These patients were sub-jected to insertion of CLD. Results: Excellent results in 15 patients who showed cessation of CSF leak within 4 days of CLD, good results in 4 patients who showed cessation of CSF leak within 5 days of CLD and fair results only with one patient required re-exploration then showed cessation of CSF leak within 5 days of CLD. Conclusion: The present analysis of the data reveals that CLD is used as a prophylactic measure and a line of treatment for CSF leak. It may be used pre, intra or post-operatively. This study recommends the use of CLD in cases with CSF leak or suspected post-operative CSF leak.

Keywords