title: Craniotomy repair with the retrosigmoid approach: the impact on quality of life of meticulous reconstruction of anatomical layers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various cranial repairs have been described to limit the incidence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, the rate of infections, postoperative headache and local discomfort in patients undergoing cerebello-pontine angle surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a feasible craniotomy procedure and cranial repair technique, which does not require bone replacers or filling materials, on postoperative outcome. We analysed postoperative results in a series of 34 patients undergoing cerebello-pontine angle surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed a statistically significant reduced incidence of local discomfort, postoperative headache and CSF leak in patients who underwent such a reconstructive technique compared to those undergoing retrosigmoid craniectomy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Catholic University of Rome, Italy. gdellapepa@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Giuseppe Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Della Pepa
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Montano
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lucantoni
authors.forename: Andrea Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alexandre
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Papacci
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meglio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D065634:Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak; D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000517:prevention & control; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011859:Radiography; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*