PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Mammadkhanli, Orkhan AU - Elbir, Cagri AU - Hanalioglu, Sahin AU - Canbay, Suat TI - Subfascial drainage and clipping technique for treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leak following spinal surgery AID - 10.17712/nsj.2020.1.20190048 DP - 2020 Jan 01 TA - Neurosciences Journal PG - 50--54 VI - 25 IP - 1 4099 - http://nsj.org.sa/content/25/1/50.short 4100 - http://nsj.org.sa/content/25/1/50.full SO - Neurosciences (Riyadh)2020 Jan 01; 25 AB - Objectives: To investigate the treatment of iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak that develops after degenerative lumbar spinal surgery with a subfascial drainage and clipping (SDC) technique.Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 46 patients who developed iatrogenic CSF leak after surgery for lumbar degenerative spine disease from 2007 to 2019. Twenty-five patients were treated with the SDC procedure (SDC group), whereas 21 were not (control group). Outcomes were compared between the two groups.Results: CSF leakage ceased within 6–9 days (average 7.4±1) after the procedure in the SDC group. In the control group, CSF leakage was controlled with conservative measures in 14 patients, and in 7 patients, lumbar external drainage was performed. Among these 7, the CSF leak was controlled by lumbar external drainage in 3, and 4 required reoperation to repair the dural defect. No infection occurred in either group. Length of hospital stay was also shorter in SDC group (8.4±1 vs 10.0±1.3 days, p < 0.001).Conclusion: The SDC technique is effective for the treatment of iatrogenic CSF leak that develops after degenerative lumbar spinal surgery.