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Multiple spontaneous skull base cerebrospinal fluid leaks: some insights from an international retrospective collaborative study

  • Rhinology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 14 August 2020

This article has been updated

Abstract

Purpose

Spontaneous skull base cerebrospinal fluid leaks occurring without any apparent cause are rare. But those patients that present such leaks simultaneously, or successively, in multiple locations are even rarer. Given the rarity of this condition, we collected data from other groups in a multicentre study to reach an adequate number of patients and draw some preliminary considerations.

Methods

We carried out a multicentre retrospective study on a cohort of patients treated at third level hospitals in Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Greece for multiple spontaneous-CSF leaks and we compared them with a control group of patients treated for recurrent spontaneous-CSF leaks. Data regarding clinical aspects, radiological findings, surgical techniques and outcome were collected and preliminary considerations on the results were discussed.

Results

A total of 25 patients presented multiple simultaneous spontaneous CSF leaks while 18 patients fit with the criteria of recurrent spontaneous CSF leaks. Data analysis was conducted separately.

Conclusions

Our understanding of the pathogenesis of this condition is currently very limited. A causative role of IIH may be present but the differences that emerged from the comparison with patients with recurrent fistulas seem to promote the possible role of other cofactors. A longer follow-up period is needed, and, in our opinion, prospective and multicentre studies are the only solution to seriously deal with such a complex topic.

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Change history

  • 14 August 2020

    In the original publication of the article, the following affiliation “Medical school, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus” of the author “Christos Georgalas” was missed and included in this correction.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ENT Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Cisanello Hospital, Via Paradisa, 2, 56126, Pisa, Italy

    Iacopo Dallan, Christina Cambi, Mariella Scarano & Veronica Seccia

  2. ENT Unit, Padova, Italy

    Enzo Emanuelli & Diego Cazzador

  3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

    Frank Rikki Canevari

  4. Department of Skull Base Surgery, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK

    Daniele Borsetto, James R. Tysome & Neil P. Donnelly

  5. ENT Department, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

    Mario Rigante

  6. Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Unit, Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece

    Christos Georgalas

  7. Rhinology and Skull Base Unit, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain

    Isam Alobid

  8. Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Gabriele Molteni & Daniele Marchioni

  9. Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

    Ahmed Khuram Shahzada

  10. ENT Department, Ospedale Bellaria, Bologna, Italy

    Ernesto Pasquini

Authors
  1. Iacopo Dallan
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  2. Christina Cambi
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  3. Enzo Emanuelli
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  4. Diego Cazzador
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  5. Frank Rikki Canevari
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  6. Daniele Borsetto
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  7. James R. Tysome
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  8. Neil P. Donnelly
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  9. Mario Rigante
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  10. Christos Georgalas
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  11. Isam Alobid
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  12. Gabriele Molteni
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  13. Daniele Marchioni
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  14. Ahmed Khuram Shahzada
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  15. Mariella Scarano
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  16. Veronica Seccia
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  17. Ernesto Pasquini
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Contributions

Each author has made substantial contributions to the work in terms of acquisition of data and have approved the submitted version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christina Cambi.

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None declared.

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Dallan, I., Cambi, C., Emanuelli, E. et al. Multiple spontaneous skull base cerebrospinal fluid leaks: some insights from an international retrospective collaborative study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 3357–3363 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06227-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06227-w

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