title: Transcanal blind sac closure of the external auditory canal after skull base surgery to treat CSF leak: technique and results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report outcomes of a novel transcanal blind sac closure technique of the external auditory canal (EAC) with obliteration of the Eustachian tube orifice to treat CSF leaks after skull base surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical capsule report.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients who have undergone a transcanal blind sac closure of the EAC after skull base surgery to treat CSF leak between 2004 and 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transcanal blind sac closure of the EAC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Resolution rate of postoperative CSF leak, time to final resolution of CSF leak, and complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CSF leak resolution rate, with subsequent conservative management in some cases, is approximately 80%. One case of postsurgical pseudomeningocele was identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transcanal blind sac closure of the EAC with obliteration of the Eustachian tube orifice provides a rapid and safe method to treat CSF leak after skull base surgery, without the need to reenter the original surgical wound or mastoid cavity.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and †Department of Neurosurgery, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Yoseph A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Kram
authors.forename: Lawrence R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Lustig
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D065634:Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019291:Skull Base / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome