Petar Vuleković

Endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea

INTRODUCTION Nasal liquorrhea indicates a cerebrospinal fluid fistula, an open communication between the intracranial cerebrospinal fluid and the nasal cavity. It can be traumatic and spontaneous. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid fistula using fluorescein. METHODS This retrospective study included 30 patients of both sexes, with a mean age of 48.7 years, treated in the period from 2007 to 2015. All patients underwent lumbar administration of 5% sodium fluorescein solution preoperatively. Fistula was closed using three-layer graft and fibrin glue. RESULTS Cerebrospinal fluid fistulas were commonly located in the ethmoid (37%) and sphenoid sinus (33%). Most patients presented with traumatic cerebrospinal fluid fistulas (2/3 of patients). The reported success rate for the first repair attempt was 97%. Complications occurred in three patients: one patient presented with acute hydrocephalus, one with reversible encephalopathy syndrome on the fifth postoperative day with bilateral loss of vision, and one patient was diagnosed with hydrocephalus two years after the repair of cerebrospinal fluid fistula. CONCLUSION Endoscopic diagnosis and repair of cerebrospinal fluid fistulas using fluorescein intrathecally has high success rate and low complication rate.

Spontaneous Thrombosis of Basilar Artery Aneurysm After Subarachnoidal Hemorrhage in a Patient With Thrombophilia and Recurrent Deep Venous Thrombosis

We report a patient with combined thrombophilia—protein C deficiency and mild hyperhomocysteinemia with total spontaneous thrombosis of a basilar tip aneurysm after subarachnoid hemorrhage, without neurological deficit. At admission, the patient had headache, drowsiness, and nausea, with no neurological deficit. Computed tomography (CT) did not show the presence of subarachnoid blood, and magnetic resonance examination revealed discrete remains of a subarachnoid hemorrhage in projections of temporal, frontal and occipital lobes, with no vascular abnormalities. Initial angiography showed a small basilar tip aneurysm and the patient was scheduled for endovascular treatment. A second angiography, performed before the planned endovascular treatment, did not show the aneurysm and complete thrombosis was suspected. A follow-up angiogram, 6 months after this event, showed preserved posterior cerebral circulation with no aneurysm present. The patient was discharged in good condition, without neurological deterioration. We did not find any previous reports of similar conditions.