title: Comprehensive Postoperative Management After Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery.
abstract: To maximize outcomes from endoscopic skull base surgery, careful early postoperative management is critically important. Standardized postoperative regimens are lacking. The type of reconstruction and presence and type of cerebrospinal fluid leak dictate management. If a leak is encountered intraoperatively, patients should avoid maneuvers that increase intracranial pressures for at least 1 month. Early postoperative care focuses on minimizing and managing nasal crusting. This article reviews the evidence in the literature on postoperative management, complications, and quality of life after surgery, and outlines our experience in the management of patients after endoscopic skull base surgery.
authors.affiliation: Section of Rhinology, Sinus and Skull Base Surgery, Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Duc A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Tien
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Janalee K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Stokken
authors.affiliation: Section of Rhinology, Sinus and Skull Base Surgery, Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA; Minimally Invasive Cranial Base and Pituitary Surgery Program, Rose Ella Burkhardt Brain Tumor & Neuro-Oncology Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Pablo F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Recinos
authors.affiliation: Section of Rhinology, Sinus and Skull Base Surgery, Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA; Minimally Invasive Cranial Base and Pituitary Surgery Program, Rose Ella Burkhardt Brain Tumor & Neuro-Oncology Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Troy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Woodard
authors.affiliation: Section of Rhinology, Sinus and Skull Base Surgery, Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA; Minimally Invasive Cranial Base and Pituitary Surgery Program, Rose Ella Burkhardt Brain Tumor & Neuro-Oncology Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. Electronic address: sindwar@ccf.org.
authors.forename: Raj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sindwani
mesh_terms: D065634:Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D019291:Skull Base / Q000601:surgery; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply
keywords: CSF leak; Endoscopic skull base reconstruction; Endoscopic skull base surgery; Postoperative complications; Postoperative debridement; Postoperative infection; Postoperative management; Quality of life outcomes