Oropharyngeal CSF Leak Secondary to Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

Abstract EN

We present a case of an oropharyngeal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula in a patient that presented with headache, rhinorrhea, and pneumocephalus years after an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

Imaging suggested a defect in the fovea ethmoidalis, but endoscopic surgery revealed the defect in the oropharynx.

A second procedure was performed to remove the spinal hardware and repair the leak.

This case is not only unique in the literature but also highlights the importance of maintaining a broad differential diagnosis to include rare complications and shows that despite dramatic improvements in imaging, locating CSF leaks still presents a challenge.