Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks are well-known and frequent complications of intracranial procedures. Numerous studies have focused on the clinical aspects of incidence, risk factors, outcome, treatment, and prevention; however, large prospective multicenter studies are missing. The aim of this study was to prospectively analyze the rate of CSF leaks and their causes. Method: A total of 545 patients with a variety of intracranial procedures (elective and trauma) were recruited in a multicenter, prospective, observational study over a 12-month period. Results: In 545 cranial surgeries, we observed a CSF leak rate of 7.7% (n=42) at the time of discharge from the hospital. Significant risk factors for CSF leaks were posterior fossa surgery, opened pneumatized spaces, patients younger than 66 years, size of craniotomies, craniectomies rather than craniotomies, remaining dura defects larger than 1 cm, and wound closure without using muscle sutures, continuous locked, or unlocked sutures. Non-significant risk factors for CSF leaks were revision craniotomies, craniotomies for different pathologies, previous radiotherapy and/or systemic chemotherapy, augmentation of dura sutures with various materials, and wound drains as well as temporary CSF drains. Conclusion: Despite the number of techniques and developments for dural closure, the problem of CSF leaks remains evident and further improvement has to be made.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks are well-known and frequent complications of intracranial procedures with their clinical aspects covered by numerous studies. Little, however, is known about the pharmacoeconomical aspects of this specific complication. 545 patients with a variety of intracranial procedures (elective and trauma) were recruited for a multicenter, prospective, observational study over a 13-month period. A specific pharmacoeconomic analysis was performed in 168 of these patients from the institution of the first author covering all clinical and pharmaco-economical aspects of this specific complication. Of all patients, 5.36% developed a postoperative CSF leak. Treatment of the leak required numerous diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as reoperations (n = 6), lumbar punctures (n = 11) or lumbar drainages (n = 4). Costs for these procedures and prolonged hospital stays nearly doubled the costs per case (€14079/case without a fistula vs. €25499/case with a fistula). Reimbursement for the hospital covered these extra costs, but net earnings per case were diminished by €565 in cases with a CSF leak. The authors conclude that the presence of a CSF leak after an intracranial operation - although not influencing outcome in general - results in additional diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for the patient, an enormous increase in costs for the community, and a financial loss for the hospital. Strategies to lower this complication rate should therefore urgently be developed both from a clinical and a pharmacoeconomical point of view.

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