title: Treatment of dural tears associated with spinal surgery.
abstract: We reviewed the cases of five consecutive patients with tears of the spinal dura with postoperative leaks of cerebrospinal fluid. Problems in cluded the persistence of cerebrospinal-fluid fistulas in four patients and a late symptomatic pseudomeningocele in one, all requiring reoperation and meticulous closure of the dura. Dural tears should be repaired at the time of the original operation either directly or utilizing a fascial graft or a tissue-plug technique. When the leak is first noted in the postoperative period, reoperation for repair of the dura is recommended.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005206:Fascia Lata; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques