Factors affecting the development of cerebrospinal fluid leak and meningitis after translabyrinthine acoustic tumor surgery.

Meningitis and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak are serious complications of acoustic tumor surgery. Previous reports have varied in the incidence of and the predisposing factors to these complications. This study reviews a series of 723 acoustic tumors removed via the translabyrinthine approach at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles. The incidences of CSF leak and meningitis were 6.8% and 2.9%, respectively. The patients who developed these problems were compared to the remainder of the study population for differences in age at surgery, tumor size, operative time, and length of hospital stay. Meningitis occurred more frequently in larger tumors, and patients with either complication had a longer hospital stay. The presence of CSF leak did not predispose to meningitis. It is concluded that technical factors account for postoperative CSF leak and meningitis after translabyrinthine acoustic tumor removal.