Double Skull Base Defects with Primary Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks in a Single Patient: Temporal and Sphenoid Bones

ABSTRACT

Primary spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leaks occurring in the absence of any apparent cause are rare. Patients may present such leaks simultaneously, or successively, in multiple locations. We report here the sixth case of anterior and lateral skull base defects presented in a single patient. Although rhinoliquorrhea and otoliquorrhea were reported separately in the literature, we postulated that the pathophysiology is the same for the whole skull base; obesity seems to contribute to the development of such primary spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak. Consequently, management is similar and regular follow-up is very important.

KEYWORDS

Skull base defect - primary - spontaneous - CSF leak

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