Endoscopic repair of CSF rhinorrhea: necessity of fibrin glue.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) repair with and without fibrin glue in pediatric patients with CSF rhinorrhea treated endoscopically.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This was a retrospective study carried out in the Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurosurgery at a tertiary care center between December 2005 and July 2010.

RESULTS

The 27 patients with CSF rhinorrhea included in the study were divided into Group A: 13 patients who underwent endoscopic endonasal CSF repair using fibrin glue (Tisseel, Baxter, Vienna, Austria) by an endoscopic rhinologist and Group B: 14 patients who underwent endonasal CSF repair without fibrin glue. There was no statistically significant difference in endoscopic CSF repairs with or without fibrin glue (P = 0.48) in all the variables studied. CSF repair without fibrin glue appeared more cost saving as compared to repair with glue.

CONCLUSION

CSF repairs with and without fibrin glue are equally effective and CSF repair without fibrin is costs saving.