Cerebrospinal fluid fistula due to penetrating trauma

Abstract

Penetrating spinal injury with CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) leakage, without neurological deficit is extremely rare. Most of these CSF leakages spontaneously stops and do not threat life. CSF fistula due to penetrating trauma treated with conservatively in the first step. In the failure of conservative treatment surgery is necessary. Penetrating-cutting insults to the spinal cord are generally caused by back attack to the cervical and thoracic area and usually they are with incomplete cord injury. Most of these cases are caused by knife. In the present study a case with lumbar CSF leakage caused by knife injury treated with surgery without neurological deficit presented.

Keywords

Cerebrospinal fluid leak - Fistula - Penetrating injury

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