The Frequency of Early Post Traumatic Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea in Patients with Head Trauma

Abstract

Objective:  To determine the frequency of early post-traumatic CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) rhinorrhea in patients with head trauma. Materials and Methods:  A prospective study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi from 13th December 2019 to 12th December 2020. This study comprised 155 patients who had suffered head trauma. All patients were followed for one week. If patients developed clear, watery discharge from the nose, this was documented as being CSF rhinorrhea. The frequency was then further divided into immediate and early. Results:  The ages of the patients were 34.28 ± 14.20 years on average. The prevalence of CSF rhinorrhea was observed in 3.2% (5/155) patients. In all the patients, the CSF leak presented within the first 48 hours i.e. it was immediate. Conclusion:  Although rare, this post-traumatic complication continues to be a challenge in terms of morbidity and subsequent mortality. Key Words:  Cerebrospinal fluid, Rhinorrhea, Head Trauma.