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Computed tomography-guided epidural patching of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Mihlon, F; Kranz, PG; Gafton, AR; Gray, L
Published in: J Neurosurg Spine
November 2014

OBJECT: Cerebrospinal fluid leaks due to unrecognized durotomy during spinal surgery are often managed with a second surgery for dural closure. CT-guided percutaneous patching targeted to the dural defect offers an alternative to surgery since it can be performed in a minimally invasive fashion without the need for general anesthesia. This case series describes the authors' experience using targeted CT-guided percutaneous patching to repair incidental durotomies incurred during spinal surgery. METHODS: This investigation is a retrospective case series involving patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous patching of surgical incidental durotomies and were referred between January 2007 and June 2013. Their presenting clinical history, myelographic findings, and clinical outcomes, including the need for eventual surgical duraplasty, were reviewed. RESULTS: Nine cases were identified, including 7 durotomies incurred during lumbar discectomy, one due to a medial transpedicular screw breach, and one incurred during vertebrectomy for spinal osteosarcoma. All patients who had favorable outcomes with percutaneous intervention alone had 2 common features: dural defect of 4 mm or smaller and absence of a pseudomeningocele. Patients with CSF leaks complicated by pseudomeningocele and those with a dural defect of 6 mm or more all required eventual surgical management. CONCLUSIONS: The authors' results suggest that findings on CT myelography may help predict which patients with postsurgical durotomy can be treated with percutaneous intervention. In particular, CT-guided patching may be more likely to be successful in those patients with dural defects of less than 5 mm and without pseudomeningocele. In patients with larger dural defects or pseudomeningoceles, percutaneous blood patching alone is unlikely to be successful.

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Published In

J Neurosurg Spine

DOI

EISSN

1547-5646

Publication Date

November 2014

Volume

21

Issue

5

Start / End Page

805 / 810

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Spinal Diseases
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Radiography, Interventional
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Orthopedics
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Iopamidol
  • Humans
 

Citation

APA
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Mihlon, F., Kranz, P. G., Gafton, A. R., & Gray, L. (2014). Computed tomography-guided epidural patching of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks. J Neurosurg Spine, 21(5), 805–810. https://doi.org/10.3171/2014.7.SPINE13965
Mihlon, Frank, Peter G. Kranz, Andreia Roxana Gafton, and Linda Gray. “Computed tomography-guided epidural patching of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks.J Neurosurg Spine 21, no. 5 (November 2014): 805–10. https://doi.org/10.3171/2014.7.SPINE13965.
Mihlon F, Kranz PG, Gafton AR, Gray L. Computed tomography-guided epidural patching of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks. J Neurosurg Spine. 2014 Nov;21(5):805–10.
Mihlon, Frank, et al. “Computed tomography-guided epidural patching of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks.J Neurosurg Spine, vol. 21, no. 5, Nov. 2014, pp. 805–10. Pubmed, doi:10.3171/2014.7.SPINE13965.
Mihlon F, Kranz PG, Gafton AR, Gray L. Computed tomography-guided epidural patching of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks. J Neurosurg Spine. 2014 Nov;21(5):805–810.

Published In

J Neurosurg Spine

DOI

EISSN

1547-5646

Publication Date

November 2014

Volume

21

Issue

5

Start / End Page

805 / 810

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Spinal Diseases
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Radiography, Interventional
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Orthopedics
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Iopamidol
  • Humans