CT引导微创注射生物蛋白胶治疗骶管囊肿围手术期异常事件的防治

目的探讨CT引导微创注射生物蛋白胶治疗骶管囊肿围手术期异常事件产生的原因,提出防治措施。方法2006年1月-2007年10月行CT引导微创注射生物蛋白胶治疗骶管囊肿37例,其中L5S17例,S1-212例,S2-318例。回顾分析围手术期出现的异常事件和产生的原因。结果血性囊液13例,抽不出囊液4例,骶管内积气28例,骶神经根刺伤2例,术后发热8例,剧烈头痛,呕吐3例,症状无缓解3例,除骶管内积气外,上述并发症多发生于该微创技术早期应用的病例中,与术中穿刺和抽液技术,病例选择不当有关。结论CT导向下的穿刺和抽液技术有一个学习和熟练的过程,掌握技巧,正确选择病例和完善围手术期处理是防治围手术期异常事件的关键。     

CT引导下经椎板穿刺注射医用生物蛋白胶治疗骶神经根囊肿

目的探讨CT引导下经椎板穿刺注射医用生物蛋白脏(FG胶)治疗骶抻经根囊肿的疗效。方法1998年4月—2001年2月，采用CT引导下经椎板穿刺FG胶注射治疗骶神经根囊肿38例，其中Ls-12例，S1.215例，S2311例。单发31例．多发7例秉用CT引导定位，局麻下用骨穿针将相应的椎板穿进，阁暖穿针穿入种经根囊肿内，注入医用生物蛋白脏、结果全部病例获得随访，随访时间3—7个月．平均9个月。术后腰骶部疼痛．问歇性踱行和骶神经根刺激症状均得到不同程度缓解．无感染、神经损伤和脑脊液漏发生。根据临床症状改善程度和影像学变化制订评定标准．结果为优17例(44．7％)、良18例(47．4％)、可3例(79％)，优良率达92．1％。结论CT引导下经椎板穿刺FG腔注射治疗骶神经根囊肿，具有微创操作、安全可靠、疗效明显、住院时间短、费用低等优点。     

C型臂X线机引导经椎板穿刺生物蛋白胶注射术和开放手术治疗症状性骶管囊肿的疗效比较

[目的]比较两种手术方法治疗症状性骶管囊肿的疗效。[方法]2003年6月～2011年4月,分别采用C型臂X线机引导下经椎板穿刺注射医用生物蛋白胶封闭囊肿术(蛋白胶注射组30例)及棘突切除、椎板开窗囊肿摘除术(囊肿摘除术组18例)治疗48例有临床症状的骶管囊肿患者,比较两组患者术前、术后腰骶部疼痛和功能改善情况。[结果]手术时间、术中出血量、住院时间、并发症,蛋白胶注射组均明显小于囊肿摘除术组(P<0.01)。蛋白胶注射组5例失访,囊肿摘除术组4例失访,总失访率18.8%。随访时间7～96个月,平均18.4个月。两组患者末次随访时VAS和ODI评分与术前比较有显著差异(P<0.01),蛋白胶注射组、囊肿摘除术组间VAS评分改善率比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),ODI评分改善率比较差异有显著统计学意义(P<0.01)。蛋白胶注射组患者疼痛改善时间及功能改善时间均较囊肿摘除术组患者早。根据分级标准,蛋白胶注射组疼痛改善优良率为88%,囊肿摘除术组为71%;蛋白胶注射组功能改善优良率为88%,囊肿摘除术组为71%。[结论]C型臂X线机引导下注射生物蛋白胶治疗骶管囊肿是一种有效的治疗方法,可免除开放手术的创伤痛苦,具有微创操作、安全、经济等优点。     

人纤维蛋白粘合剂封闭囊肿术治疗症状性骶管囊肿

目的 探讨经皮穿刺人纤维蛋白粘合剂封闭囊肿术治疗症状性骶管囊肿的疗效。方法 回顾分析2005年1月～2009年12月本院收治的采用CT引导下经皮穿刺抽吸囊液,人纤维蛋白粘合剂封闭囊肿术治疗的症状性骶管囊肿患者资料38例。其中男15例,女23例;年龄21～76岁,平均50岁。初发病例27例,再发11例。囊肿部位:L₅/S₁ 11例,S₁/S₂ 16 例,S₂/S₃ 7 例,骶前4例。经MRI检查均确诊为骶管囊肿。采用Oswestry功能障碍指数(Oswestry disability index,ODI)和疼痛视觉模拟量表(visual analogue scale, VAS)评分评估患者术后3个月、1年、5年腰骶区疼痛、麻木和功能改善情况。结果 所有患者均顺利完成手术, 手术时间(42.2±16.0) min,术中出血量(25.8±20.4) mL。38例均获随访,随访时间27～96个月,平均63个月。患者术后ODI和VAS评分均较术前明显改善,差异具有统计学意义(P< 0.01)。术后复查MRI, 患者囊腔消失29例(76.3%),囊腔缩小4例(10.5%),囊肿无缩小5例(13.2%)。结论 微创治疗症状性骶管囊肿具有创伤小、出血少、疗效佳、恢复快等优点,对于初发或开放手术术后再发的患者均有效果,是治疗骶管囊肿的良好方法。     

Sellar repair with resorbable polyglactin acid sheet and fibrin glue in endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery

BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid leakage after transsphenoidal surgery represents a serious problem. Various methods to prevent postoperative CSF leakage are available, but immediate and tight dural closure is still difficult. The efficacy of a novel sellar repair was described. METHODS: The sellar repair using absorbable PGA sheet and fibrin glue was applied to 18 consecutive patients with sellar tumors that include 13 pituitary adenomas, 2 craniopharyngiomas, 2 Rathke's cleft cysts, and 1 meningioma within 135 patients who were treated with endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach. The reaction speed and strength between PGA sheets and fibrin glue were examined in vitro. RESULTS: Polyglactin acid sheets were adhered to the rabbit skin with fibrin glue within 3 minutes and withstood a pressure of more than 220 mm Hg. Postoperative CSF leakage of the patients was not observed in any patients, and excellent adhesion of the PGA sheets to surrounding mucosa was estimated by endoscopic observation after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Repair of the sellar floor with PGA sheet and fibrin glue is a safe and effective method to prevent postoperative CSF leakage, which decreases the necessity for lumbar drainage after the operation.     

Ultrasound-Guided Therapy for Knee and Foot Ganglion Cysts

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided aspiration/injection of ganglion cysts in the lower extremities (knee and foot) that required referral to the radiology department for precise localization. The present study is the first series to describe such results. The study population consisted of 15 patients who had undergone treatment from April 2012 to January 2015. Follow-up was by telephone survey, which was performed at a mean of 15 ± 6 months after treatment. Almost 90% of patients experienced immediate improvement in symptoms (mostly pain), and 77% of these patients had not experienced a recurrence of symptoms at a mean follow-up time of 14 ± 6 months. In conclusion, ultrasound-guided therapy is a safe and potentially effective treatment for most cases of symptomatic lower extremity ganglion cysts.     

Laparoscopic management of a giant hepatic cyst with fibrin glue fixation of the omentum

Approximately 4.5% to 7% of the population will have simple hepatic cysts, but only 5% of these will require treatment. Drainage options include interventional, laparoscopic, and open techniques ranging from simple aspiration to liver resection. We present a case where a giant hepatic cyst was treated laparoscopically and omentum was fixed in the defect using fibrin glue to prevent recurrence. A 69-year-old female patient presented with a recurrent simple hepatic cyst after percutaneous aspiration had failed. Her symptoms were related to the size of the cyst. Laparoscopic drainage was performed with cyst wall excision. Omentum was fixed in the defect using fibrin glue. She was discharged after 24 hours without complication. There are many ways to treat nonparasitic liver cysts. The laparoscopic approach limits morbidity with excellent results. The use of fibrin glue to secure omentum in the defect is a simple technique to limit recurrence.     

Prophylactic percutaneous sealing of lumbar postdural puncture hole with fibrin glue to prevent cerebrospinal fluid leakage in swine

We explored the effect of fibrin glue injection at the site of dural puncture on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage in a swine model. Pigs were subjected to a lumbar dural CSF puncture in the sitting position with a 17-gauge Tuohy needle. Fibrin glue 1.4 mL was injected through the same needle into the epidural space. Evans blue dye was infused through the cisterna magna 15 min later, and the appearance of dyed CSF through the skin puncture and along the needle trajectory to the dura was inspected and categorized. In seven of eight animals, the CSF leak was sealed with fibrin glue. Control animals were injected with 1.4 mL saline. A sham operation group of animals underwent cisternal dye infusion without a lumbar puncture. CSF pressure at the cisterna magna was recorded throughout the procedure. No significant differences in the leakage indicators were found between the fibrin glue-injected and sham-operated group, whereas both groups showed significant differences with respect to the control group. The fibrin glue seal was effective against CSF pressures of 24.5 [17-31] cm H(2)O. We conclude that percutaneously injected fibrin glue is effective in stopping CSF leaks after dural puncture in this animal model. IMPLICATIONS: In this swine study, we repaired a cerebrospinal fluid leak after a dural puncture by percutaneously injecting tissue adhesive. The technique of percutaneous injection of fibrin glue seems promising for the prophylaxis of headache associated with cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and may be an alternative to an epidural blood patch.     

Percutaneous treatment of large symptomatic renal cysts

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of alcohol in combination with tetracycline for the treatment of symptomatic renal cysts. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients age 45 to 77 years (mean 66 years) with a large (5-13-cm; mean 7.5-cm) symptomatic renal cyst associated with flank pain were treated by aspiration under ultrasound guidance and injection of alcohol and tetracycline. Patients were followed with ultrasonography at 1, 6, and 12 months and once a year thereafter. RESULTS: The aspirated volume ranged from 65 to 1500 mL (mean 360.5 mL). Two patients experienced mild pain during alcohol injection, but the procedure was completed successfully. One patient reported severe pain after tetracycline injection. The tetracycline was immediately aspirated, and the procedure was then aborted. The remaining patients were relieved of their symptoms after treatment, and they remained symptom free during a mean follow-up of 20 months (range 7-36 months). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of alcohol and tetracycline is safe and effective and offers a very favorable minimally invasive therapeutic alternative for the treatment of symptomatic renal cysts.     

Seton or glue for trans‐sphincteric anal fistulae: a prospective randomized crossover clinical trial

Objective Fibrin glue treatment of anal fistulae has been proposed to minimize the risk of faecal incontinence but its acceptance by coloproctologists is still poor because the published data is controversial. Therefore, we carried out a prospective randomized crossover trial comparing treatment with a commercial fibrin glue to classical seton treatment, with healing rate, hospital stay, healing time, faecal incontinence and postoperative pain as study outcomes. Method Sixty‐four homogeneous patients with trans‐sphincteric anal fistulae referred to seven colorectal units were randomized to undergo fibrin glue (39 patients) or seton (25 patients) treatment. Patients failing to heal after treatment with fibrin glue were re‐randomized to undergo a second injection with glue or seton treatment. Results Sixty‐two of the 64 patients completed the minimum 1‐year follow‐up period. Twenty‐one of 24 patients healed in the seton group compared with 15/38 in the fibrin glue group (P = 0.0007). The 23 failures after glue treatment were re‐randomized to have a second glue injection (eight patients) or a seton treatment (15 patients). Four of the eight (50%) patients treated with a second injection of glue, and nine out of the 15 (60%) patients in the seton group, healed. Patients treated with fibrin glue reported less postoperative pain and had a shorter hospital stay than patients treated with a seton; furthermore, faecal continence and anal manometry significantly worsened after seton treatment. Conclusion Seton treatment has a significantly higher probability of success compared with fibrin glue treatment but poses a higher risk of faecal incontinence. Fibrin glue could be considered as a first line of treatment for patients at risk of faecal incontinence or other comorbidities.     

Surgical excision of symptomatic sacral perineurial Tarlov cyst: case series and review of the literature

Object

Symptomatic sacral perineural cysts are extremely rare. The aim of this retrospective study is to investigate the outcome of 15 consecutive patients treated by microsurgical resection of the cyst and to review the literature.

Methods

The authors retrospectively reviewed their clinical data archive from 2002 to 2014. Fifteen patients who were operated on due to symptomatic sacral perineural cysts were enrolled in the study. Patients’ symptoms, radiographs, intra-operative findings, and clinical results were evaluated. All 15 patients underwent microsurgical excision of the cyst. The literature on this topic available in PubMed was also reviewed.

Results

There were 5 men and 10 women included in the study, with a mean age of 31 years (range 7–60 years). Preoperative symptoms include low back pain, coccydynia, buttock pain, perianal pain and radicular pain. All of the patients underwent surgical resection. The mean follow-up was 54 months (range 3–160 months). All the patients experienced complete or substantial resolution of the preoperative local and radicular pain after surgery.

Conclusions

Cyst excision is an effective and safe technique for symptomatic sacral perineural (Tarlov) cysts. Careful patient selection is vital to the management and treatment of this difficult and controversial pathology.

     

Effect of fibrin glue on the prevention of persistent cerebral spinal fluid leakage after incidental durotomy during lumbar spinal surgery

Approximately one million spinal surgeries are performed in the United States each year. The risk of an incidental durotomy (ID) and resultant persistent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage is a significant concern for surgeons, as this complication has been associated with increased length of hospitalization, worse neurological outcome, and the development of CSF fistulae. Augmentation of standard dural suture repair with the application of fibrin glue has been suggested to reduce the frequency of these complications. This study examined unintended durotomies during lumbar spine surgery in a large surgical patient cohort and the impact of fibrin glue usage as part of the ID repair on the incidence of persistent CSF leakage. A retrospective analysis of 4,835 surgical procedures of the lumbar spine from a single institution over a 10-year period was performed to determine the rate of ID. The 90-day clinical course of these patients was evaluated. Clinical examination, B-2 transferrin assay, and radiographic imaging were utilized to determine the number of persistent CSF leaks after repair with or without fibrin glue. Five hundred forty-seven patients (11.3%) experienced a durotomy during surgery. Of this cohort, fibrin glue was used in the dural repair in 278 patients (50.8%). Logistic models evaluating age, sex, redo surgery, and the use of fibrin glue revealed that prior lumbar spinal surgery was the only univariate predictor of persistent CSF leak, conferring a 2.8-fold increase in risk. A persistent CSF leak, defined as continued drainage of CSF from the operative incision within 90 days of the surgery that required an intervention greater than simple bed rest or over-sewing of the wound, was noted in a total of 64 patients (11.7%). This persistent CSF leak rate was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in patients with prior lumbar surgery (21%) versus those undergoing their first spine surgery (9%). There was no statistical difference in persistent CSF leak between those cases in which fibrin glue was used at the time of surgery and those in which fibrin glue was not used. There were no complications associated with the use of fibrin glue. A history of prior surgery significantly increases the incidence of durotomy during elective lumbar spine surgery. In patients who experienced a durotomy during lumbar spine surgery, the use of fibrin glue for dural repair did not significantly decrease the incidence of a persistent CSF leak.     

Subcranial transnasal repair of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea with free autologous grafts by the combined overlay and underlay techniques.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of subcranial transnasal repair of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea with free autologous grafts by the combined overlay and underlay techniques using the surgical microscope and/or endoscope. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with CSF rhinorrhea were included in this retrospective study. They were 13 males and 7 females. Their age ranged from 7 to 62 years (mean: 39.35). The etiologies of the leak were iatrogenic in 10 cases, spontaneous in 5 cases, traumatic in 4 cases and one case was associated with meningeo-encephalocele. Preoperative nasal endoscopic examination, computed tomography (CT) with intrathecal non-ionic contrast and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were done when indicated. Endoscopic and/or microscopic repair of the CSF fistula was done by a combination of both underlay and overlay repair with free autologous grafts as follows: Gelfoam with fibrin glue, strips of fat, facia lata, Gelfoam with fibrin glue (underlay), septal cartilage, Gelfoam with fibrin glue and strips of fat (overlay). RESULTS: Complete closure of the leak was achieved in all patients. In one case of spontaneous CSF leak which was operated endoscopically, the leak recurred 6 months postoperatively and ceased spontaneously after a month with conservative medical treatment. No major complications were seen and no patients developed meningitis or postoperative anosmia. CONCLUSION: Subcranial transnasal repair with free autologous grafts by the combined overlay and underlay techniques using the endoscope or surgical microscope is a safe and successful method of treating CSF leaks, provided that the CSF leak is precisely located and the site can be reached with the endoscope or surgical microscope.     

The fixed combination of collagen with components of fibrin adhesive-a new hemostypic agent in skull base procedures

CSF leak still is one of the major sources of morbidity after extensive skull base procedures. Of the various standard closure techniques of traumatic or iatrogenic dural defects, none provides a really waterlight, persistent closure. Even the supplementary use of fluid fibrin glue did not substantially improve the rate of postoperative CSF leaks. The application of a collagen sheet covered with a fixed layer of solid components of a fibrin tissue glue (TachoComb(R)) overcomes the major drawbacks of dural sealing in skull base surgery. The dural defects of 58 patients undergoing extensive skull base procedures were sealed with this new hemostyptic agent. The series includes 44 patients undergoing primary surgery, 6 patients with traumatic or iatrogenic tears of venous sinuses, and 8 patients with postoperative leaks after previous skull base procedures in which other sealing methods were previously used. In the group of primary surgery, none of the patients had postoperative CSF leakage or venous rebleeding. One patient developed a delayed pneumatocephalus. All cases of patent CSF fistulas were resolved without any adjuvant therapy. Preliminary experience shows that the good sealing and hemostyptic performance of this new agent will considerably reduce the risk of postoperative CSF leak and infection after skull base procedures.     

Transsphenoidal pituitary surgery: comparison of two sellar reconstruction techniques and their effect on postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage

Transsphenoidal surgery is a common procedure in patients with pituitary adenomas. Several techniques have been previously postulated to achieve sufficient sellar reconstruction to avoid cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage. We analyzed our institutional database concerning two sellar reconstruction techniques and development of postoperative CSF leakage. From 2009 to 2015, 255 patients underwent transsphenoidal pituitary surgery at our institution. According to the technique used for sellar reconstruction, patients were divided into two groups: (1) with muscle patch and fibrin glue and (2) with fibrin glue alone. Postoperative CSF leakage occurred in 7% of the patients. Occurrence of postoperative CSF leakage did not differ significantly between both sellar reconstruction techniques (p?=?0.2). Patients who underwent sellar reconstruction with fibrin glue alone had significantly shorter operating time (p?<?0.0001), as well as shorter length of hospital stay (p?=?0.01). On multivariate analysis, occurrence of intraoperative CSF leakage was the only predictor for postoperative CSF leakage (p?<?0.0001). The present data suggests that sellar reconstruction after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery seems to be equally effective in preventing postoperative CSF leakage. However, the use of fibrin glue alone results in shorter hospital stay and operating time without exposing patients to more frequent CSF leakage.     

Treatment of symptomatic simple renal cysts by percutaneous aspiration and ethanol sclerotherapy

OBJECTIVE: To report our experience with the use of 95% ethanol as sclerotherapy for symptomatic simple renal cysts. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with 64 symptomatic simple renal cysts were treated by ultrasonography (US)-guided percutaneous aspiration and injection of 95% ethanol (31 men and 29 women, mean age 46 years, SD 22). The main presentation was renal pain in 34 patients, renal mass in nine, hypertension in 11 and haematuria in six; 24 cysts were on the right, 32 on the left and four bilateral. Patients were evaluated after 1 month and then every 6 months by clinical assessment, US and intravenous urography. Success was defined as complete when there was total ablation of the cyst and partial when there was a recurrence of less than half the original cyst volume with the resolution of symptoms. Failure was defined as the recurrence of more than half of cyst volume and/or persistent symptoms. RESULTS: After aspiration and ethanol sclerotherapy, there was microscopic haematuria in two patients and low-grade fever (<38.3 degrees C) in two, but no major complications. During a mean (range) follow-up of 19 (14-40) months there was complete cyst ablation in 54 cysts and partial resolution in 10. Pain disappeared or was much improved in all patients. After cyst ablation hypertension was well controlled with no medication in all 11 hypertensive patients and haematuria disappeared in all six affected patients. CONCLUSIONS: Ethanol sclerotherapy for symptomatic simple renal cysts is simple, minimally invasive and highly effective. We recommend it as the first therapeutic option in these patients.     

Management of pilonidal sinus using fibrin glue: a new concept and preliminary experience

BACKGROUND: There is a multiplicity of treatment techniques described for pilonidal sinus. However none of the methods has emerged as being superior to the others. A ideal treatment should be simple, lead to minimal disability and a rapid return to normal activity. We present the preliminary finding an operative technique using fibrin glue in patents with pilonidal sinus. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was carried out in the surgical unit of the Armed Forces Hospital, Khamis Mushayt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. From September 2001 to February 2004, 25 consecutive patients with primary pilonidal sinus, were prospectively submitted to tension free excision and fibrin glue injection under local anaesthesia as day surgery cases. There were 23 males and 2 females with a mean age of 26.4 years (range 17-50 years). The data recorded included the duration of the disease symptoms, operative time, duration of hospital stay, postoperative analgesia, and return to work. All excised specimens were sent to histopathology. The postoperative disability and the social disruption were evaluated by indirect questions about the ability to drive a car and the position assumed while at home in the outpatient follow-up. RESULTS: The mean duration of the symptoms was 15.4 months (range 4-36 months). Mean operative time including local anaesthetic time was 19.3 min (range 15-50 min). The mean hospital stay was 7.5 h (range 6-10 h). All patients were discharged home on the day of surgery. Mean follow-up was 10.8 months (range 4-36 months). Primary healing was achieved in 24 (96%) patients within two weeks. One (4%) patient had a breakdown of the fibrin glue and the open wound managed with daily betadine dressings. CONCLUSION: The management of pilonidal sinus with excision under local anesthesia and application of a fibrin glue is simple and reduces postoperative disability and disruption of patient social life.     

症状性骶管内囊肿的诊断与治疗

目的：探讨症状性骶管内蛛网膜囊肿的诊断与治疗方法.方法：对12例以骶管内神经受压表现为主,如腰骶部疼痛、下肢痛、会阴部疼痛,鞍区麻木不适,大小便障碍,下肢无力患者,行MRI检查.结合临床症状、体征及MRI表现明确诊断为症状性骶管内囊肿后行手术治疗.手术均在显微镜下操作.对未见明显交通孔的7例中5例行囊壁大部切除后残存囊壁修补缝扎,2例因硬脊膜缺如,无法修补而行囊肿部分切除旷置;5例有交通孔的患者中,2例囊肿大部切除后用肌肉填塞交通孔,2例因交通孔处理困难未作特殊处理,1例囊肿大部切除后,切开交通孔处硬脊膜以扩大交通孔至脑脊液通畅流出,消除交通孔的单向阀门作用.严密缝合切口,术后采取头低臀高俯卧位.结果：骶管内囊肿在MRI上表现为骶管内单发或多发类圆形或椭圆形的软组织影,呈长T1、长T2表现,信号与脑脊液相同.术后2例出现少量皮下积液,加压包扎2～3个月后自行吸收,无1例脑脊液漏.随访3个月～4年6个月,平均18.3个月,症状完全缓解8例,部分缓解3例,1例3个月后症状复发,MRI检查示囊肿较术前轻微扩大,未再次手术.结论：MRI检查是正确诊断骶管内蛛网膜囊肿的有力手段,伴有临床症状、体征者应考虑手术治疗.对囊肿的处理以囊肿大部切除为主,严密缝合切口各层及术后合理体位可以有效防止并发症的发生.     

Sellar floor reconstruction after transsphenoidal surgery using fibrin glue without grafting or implants: technical note

BACKGROUND: Different techniques have already been described for reconstructing the sellar floor after transsphenoidal (TS) procedures. This paper reports on the use of fibrin glue alone without grafting or the use of implants in the reconstruction of the sellar floor after TS. METHODS: Five hundred sixty-seven patients who submitted to TS for pituitary and sellar region tumors were studied. No intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak occurred in 503 patients (group 1); in the remaining 64 patients (group 2), intraoperative CSF leak was noted. In group 1 patients, closure of the sellar floor consisted of packing the surgical bed with hemostatic material only. When CSF leak was noted, the surgical bed was covered with a layer of hemostatic material and the intrasellar space was filled up with fibrin glue. An additional layer of hemostatic material was added at the topography of the preexisting sellar floor, and a second amount of fibrin glue was applied over it. At the end of surgery, a continuous lumbar CSF drainage system was installed in group 2 patients and kept for 5 days. Prophylactic antibiotics were administered during this period. RESULTS: We did not observe delayed CSF leak, meningitis, or visual loss in group 1 patients. In group 2, 2 patients presented with complications: 1 patient got meningitis but no overt CSF leak, and the other disclosed a delayed postoperative leak treated by reoperation. DISCUSSION: Our results showed that closure of the sellar floor with hemostatic material and fibrin glue without grafting or the use of implants is a safe and efficient method to prevent postoperative complications after TS. Generally speaking, there is no need for grafting or the use of implants at the end of TS.     

The Fixed Combination of Collagen With Components of Fibrin Adhesive—A New Hemostypic Agent in Skull Base Procedures

CSF leak still is one of the major sources of morbidity after extensive skull base procedures. Of the various standard closure techniques of traumatic or iatrogenic dural defects, none provides a really waterlight, persistent closure. Even the supplementary use of fluid fibrin glue did not substantially improve the rate of postoperative CSF leaks. The application of a collagen sheet covered with a fixed layer of solid components of a fibrin tissue glue (TachoComb®) overcomes the major drawbacks of dural sealing in skull base surgery. The dural defects of 58 patients undergoing extensive skull base procedures were sealed with this new hemostyptic agent. The series includes 44 patients undergoing primary surgery, 6 patients with traumatic or iatrogenic tears of venous sinuses, and 8 patients with postoperative leaks after previous skull base procedures in which other sealing methods were previously used. In the group of primary surgery, none of the patients had postoperative CSF leakage or venous rebleeding. One patient developed a delayed pneumatocephalus. All cases of patent CSF fistulas were resolved without any adjuvant therapy. Preliminary experience shows that the good sealing and hemostyptic performance of this new agent will considerably reduce the risk of postoperative CSF leak and infection after skull base procedures.