Cerebrospinal fluid fistula prevention and treatment following frontal sinus fractures: A review of initial management and outcomes

Abstract

Frontal sinus fractures are heterogeneous, and management of these fractures is often modified based on injury pattern and institutional experience. The optimal initial treatment of frontal sinus fractures is controversial. Treatment strategies are aimed at correcting cosmetic deformity, as well as at preventing delayed complications, including CSF fistulas, mucocele formation, and infection. Existing treatment options include observation, reconstruction, obliteration, cranialization, or a combination thereof. Modalities for treatment encompass both open surgical approaches and endoscopic techniques. In the absence of Class I data, the authors review the existing literature related to treatment strategies of frontal sinus fractures, particularly as they relate to CSF fistulas, to provide recommendations based on the best available evidence.