

The nose typically heals very well after surgery. In fact, many patients have a recovery process similar to patients having more routine types of sinus surgery. Most patients have only mild pain after surgery. During this time, it is important not to perform heavy physical activity.
SPINAL FLUID LEAK DURING BACK SURGERY PATCH
In fact, most patients having repair of a CSF leak in our practice do not need a lumbar drain.Īfter the repair, the patch will continue to heal for several weeks. The purpose of the drain is to allow the patch to heal for a few days without excessive pressure. This involves the placement of a catheter below the spinal cord in the lower back. Sometimes, a drain called a lumbar drain may need to be placed for a few days after surgery. Most patients stay in the hospital for one or two nights after this type of surgery. What is recovery like after CSF leak repair? The sinus is filled with air, as a healthy sinus should be. After surgery, the patch has healed well and the sinus is much healthier. The sinus looked gray on the CT scan before surgery, showing that it is filled with fluid. The patient had a CSF leak involving a sinus called the sphenoid sinus. The images below show the changes that can be seen after a successful endoscopic CSF leak repair. Sometimes, a few different types of materials are used so that multiple “layers” can close the hole. Then, the patch can be carefully placed to cover the affected area. This can help make sure that the patch covers the entire defect. Sometimes, the surgeon may have to use synthetic materials or materials taken from other parts of the body.Īfter finding the hole, the surgeon works to make sure the entire hole can be seen. The bone is often taken from the nasal septum. Mucosa is the membrane that covers the inside of the nose and sinuses. Some of the materials used from the inside of the nose include things called mucosa and septal bone. Often, the surgeon can use some of the tissue from the inside of the nose. Many different materials can be used to fix the hole. After finding the hole, a patch can be placed to seal the leak. The surgeon opens the sinuses so that the hole causing the leak can be seen. In this type of surgery, the surgeon will work through the inside of the nostrils with a nasal endoscope. This type of surgery is called endoscopic nasal CSF leak repair. Surgeons can work through the inside of the nostrils to get to hole causing the leak. Now, most nasal CSF leaks can be repaired with less invasive surgery. With this type of procedure, a neurosurgeon would work through the skull to find and repair the hole. In the past, many patients had to undergo a procedure called a craniotomy to successfully repair the holes leading to CSF leaks.

How are nasal CSF leaks repaired?įortunately, most CSF leaks that start in the nose can be successfully treated with minimally invasive surgery. A CSF leak can create serious health problems. Nasal CSF leaks happen when CSF drips out through the nose. Cerebrospinal fluid (also known as CSF) is the fluid that normally sits around the brain and spine.
