Video-assisted thorascopic repair of a subarachnoid-pleural fistula in a child after thoracic tumor resection: technical note.
METHODS
Technical report.


OBJECTIVE
To describe a minimally invasive surgical approach for the obliteration of a subarachnoid-pleural fistula in a 4-year-old child after resection of an intrathoracic ganglioneuroma.


BACKGROUND
Development of a subarachnoid-pleural fistula has been reported after thoracotomy for lung, chest wall, and spinal tumors, when an iatrogenic meningeal laceration results in establishing communication between the spinal subarachnoid space and the pleural cavity.


METHODS
Review of a single case in which video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS) was used to deposit fibrin glue and to suture a pleural allograft. Literature review was performed to document other options to treat subarachnoid-pleural cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula.


RESULTS
At 10 months after VATS repair, the CSF fistula has remained closed.


CONCLUSIONS
VATS technique should be considered for a safe, efficacious, and durable CSF leak repair and as an alternative to open thoracotomy in the pediatric age group.
Kitagawa
Ryan S
RS
Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
Satyan
Krishna B
KB
Relyea
Katherine
K
Dauser
Robert C
RC
Nuchtern
Jed G
JG
Minifee
Paul K
PK
Whitehead
William E
WE
Curry
Daniel J
DJ
Luerssen
Thomas G
TG
Jea
Andrew
A
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D005729:Ganglioneuroma / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016156:Respiratory Tract Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013346:Subarachnoid Space; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive