title: Endoscopic transnasal repair of cerebrospinal fluid leaks with and without an encephalocele in pediatric patients: from infants to children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The diagnosis and management of pediatric cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak and encephalocele are challenging. The current study aimed to identify patient characteristics, review operative techniques, and evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic endonasal repair in a pediatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the records of pediatric patients who underwent transnasal endoscopic repair of CSF leak with or without a meningocele or an encephalocele at Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, between July 2003 and May 2014. All patients had preoperative radiological evaluations and underwent endoscopic endonasal repair of their skull base defects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether, 23 children (mean age 7.0 years) underwent the procedures. Sixteen cases were congenital, and 7 patients had trauma history. The herniations or defects included meningoencephaloceles in 15 cases, meningoceles in 4 cases, and CSF leak in 4 cases (2 patients had bilateral leaks). The leak or herniation sites were ethmoid roof in 10 patients (one was bilateral), cribriform plate in 5, lateral to the foramen cecum in 3, posterior wall of the frontal sinus in 1, sphenoid sinus in 2, lateral recess of the sphenoid sinus in 1, and sella turcica base in 2. All subjects had favorable clinical outcomes without recurrence during a follow-up of 6-123 months (mean 61.1 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The endoscopic endonasal approach was the preferred method for repairing CSF leaks with or without an encephalocele in pediatric patients. Compared to traditional operations, this endoscopic procedure is minimally invasive, efficient, and safe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Lane, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.
authors.forename: Jingying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiaokui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dongsheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Junfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.forename: Shunjiu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Yunchuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D065634:Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004677:Encephalocele / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D014945:Wound Healing