Abstract
Objective Standard techniques for primary dural repair following lateral skull base surgery
are both technically challenging and time consuming without the potential for primary
dural repair. Inadequate closure may result in postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
leak infectious sequalae. Traditional methods of dural repair rely on secondary obliteration
of the CSF fistula. We hypothesized that the use of nonpenetrating titanium microclips
may serve as a useful adjunct in primary dural repair or the establishment of an immobile
repair layer following lateral skull base surgery.
Methods Here, we report a novel technique for primary dural repair using nonpenetrating titanium
microclips as an adjunct to standard techniques in a series of six patients with lateral
skull base pathologies.
Results A total of six consecutive lateral skull base tumor patients with titanium microclip
dural reconstruction were included in our case series. Lateral skull base pathologies
represented in this group included two jugular foramen schwannomas, one vestibular
schwannoma, one petroclival meningioma, one glomus jugulare paraganglioma, and one
jugular foramen chordoid meningioma.
Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of microclips in repairing
dural defects following lateral skull base surgery. Surgical outcomes for this small
case series suggest that dural repair of the later skull base with nonpenetrating
titanium microclips is a useful adjunct in dural repair following lateral skull base
surgery.
Keywords
lateral skull base - dural closure - titanium microclip - tumor
