Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea (ECPG)

- Introduction, scope and audience

➡️Introduction

CSF rhinorrhea, results from an osseous defect in the skull base with an associated dural fistula. a. Traumatic leaks are the most common type of CSF leak and include non-iatrogenic (blunt or penetrating injuries) or iatrogenic injuries (usually unintentional violation of the skull base during rhinologic or neurosurgical procedures). Other CSF leak etiologies include spontaneous, congenital, and neoplastic origins. If untreated, it can lead to serious complications. Many controversies exist in the management of CSF rhinorrhea

➡️Scope: The scope of the guideline is the diagnosis and management of CSF rhinorrhea of various causes and locations of the skull base. The guidelines are intended to specify the recommended diagnostic tools and the recommended management options in different situation with the aim of raising the standard of care and unifying methods of management among practitioners.

➡️Target audience: ENT, neurosurgical and neurology physicians involved in the management of skull base pathologies.