Endoscopic Transmaxillary Transposition of Temporalis Flap for Recurrent Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Closure

ObjectiveTo describe the technique of endoscopic transmaxillary temporalis muscle flap transposition for the repair of a persistent postoperative sphenoidal cerebrospinal fluid leak. DesignThe repair of a recurrent cerebrospinal fluid leak for a patient who had undergone endoscopic transsphenoidal excision of an invasive silent corticotroph Hardy C and Knosp Grade IV pituitary adenoma was undertaken. The patient had completed postoperative radiotherapy for the residual tumor and presented with cerebrospinal fluid leak, 1year later. The initial two attempts to repair the cerebrospinal fluid leak with free grafts failed. Therefore, an endoscopic transmaxillary transposition of the temporalis muscle flap was attempted to stop the cerebrospinal fluid leak. ResultsThe endoscopic transmaxillary transposition of the vascularized temporalis muscle flap onto the cerebrospinal fluid leak repair site resulted in successful closure of the cerebrospinal fluid leak. ConclusionEndoscopic transmaxillary transposition of the temporalis flap resulted in closure of recurrent cerebrospinal fluid leak in a patient with recurrent pituitary adenoma, who had undergone previous surgery and radiotherapy. This technique has advantages over the endoscopic transpterygoid transposition of the same flap and could be used as a complementary technique in selected patients.