Continued lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage for management of cerebrospinal fluid leakage after spine operation

Objective: To evaluate the effect of continued lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage on cerebrospinal fluid leakage after spine operation.Methods: Twenty-four cases of cerebrospinal fluid leakage after spine operation were divided into two groups.Group A (13 cases) were applied wound dressing which was changed 1-3 times every day and performed compression;group B (11 cases) were managed by continued lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage.Results: The duration of cerebrospinal fluid leakage and wound drainage in group A were significant longer than that in group B (P<0.05).In group A,2 cases whose cerebrospinal fluid leakage failed to decrease after one week resorted to the therapy of lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage,and the cerebrospinal fluid leakage ceased the next day;and 2 other cases in this group were complicated with spinal meningitis.There was no additional treatment or spinal meningitis in group B.Conclusions: Continued lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage is an effective therapy for postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage after spine operation.