Researchers in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery have developed the first generalizable and predictive risk scoring model to identify patients at risk of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid-related complications.
Following posterior fossa and posterolateral skull base surgeries, postoperative pseudomeningocele (PMC) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak are common complications.
Researchers performed a retrospective chart review of 450 patients undergoing posterior fossa and posterolateral skull base procedures. The researchers aimed to determine how often cerebrospinal fluid related complications occurred and develop a perioperative model and risk score predictor to identify which patients were at the highest risk of experiencing these complications.
After performing logistic regressions for three predictor models, the final model was established using age, body mass index class, dural repair technique, use of bone substitute and duration of postoperative CSF diversion to calculate the highly specific postoperative CSF-related complications (POCC) clinical risk score.
“Postoperative complication risk prediction would help guide preoperative discussions with patients and improve perioperative management,” said Travis Atchley, M.D., a PGY-6 neurosurgery resident and first author of the study, published in World Neurosurgery.
Co-authors on the study are Evan G. Gross, UAB Heersink School of Medicine; Yasaman Alam, M.D., Dagoberto Estevez-Ordonez, M.D., Ph.D., Benjamin W. Saccomano, M.D., Jordan A. George, M.D., Nicholas M.B. Laskay, M.D., Philip G.R. Schmalz, M.D., Kristen O. Riley, M.D., Winfield S. Fisher III. M.D., UAB Department of Neurosurgery