Background: Neural tube defects (spina bifidas or cephaloceles) are congenital malformations that can be associated with hydrocephalus. Even if the surgical management of each of these pathologies separately is well established, this is not the case for a combination of these conditions. Aim: To report our results of simultaneous or separate surgery for the association of hydrocephalus with neural tube defect in the same patient. Methods: This was a retrospective study of the association of hydrocephalus with neural tube defect (spina bifida or cephalocele) managed over a period of 7 years at the Department of Neurosurgery, Yalgado Ouedraogo University Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Results: Thirty-eight cases were included. The mean age was 8.1 months, and the sex ratio was 0.81. There were 27 cases of spina bifida and 11 cases of cephalocele associated with hydrocephalus. A cerebral CT scan was performed in all patients. In 30 cases, the operative management of these pathologies was performed at the same operative time. Eight cases were operated in 2 separate operative stages with a mean time of 30 days between the 2 operations. The course was favorable in 22 patients operated by the simultaneous approach and in 3 patients operated by the separate approach (p = 0.07). Conclusion: Surgical management of the association of hydrocephalus with neural tube defect in 1 or 2 operative stages gave similar clinical results. However, the treatment in 1 surgical stage would considerably reduce the charges.

Introduction. Liquorrhea is a leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into an air cavity of the skull base through an osteomeningeal breach which can exit through nos and / or ear. Highlighting the breach and closing it is sometimes very difficult. The aim of this work was to study cerebrospinal fluid liquorrhea management in our work environment. Method. This was a retrospective study over 05 years (2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014). We included any cases of liquorrhea managed in the neurosurgery department of Yalgado Ouédraaogo teacching hospital in Ouagadougou. Results. Thirty-five cases were included, they were 34 male and 1 female. The average age was 31.6 years. Liquorrhea was the reason for admission in 11 cases. Physical examination found rhinorrhea in 24 cases, otorrhea in 9 cases and oto-rhinorrhea in 2 cases. A fracture line was objectified one CT scan in all patients. This fracture line could explain the liquorrhea in 24 cases. Conservative treatment was performed in 33 cases. Two patients were opered. Outcome was favorable in 33 patients. One patient died of meningitis. Conclusion. Highlighting of the breach was difficult in our work context where CT-scan can provide good orientations. Treatment was essentially conservative; prognosis very often favorable except in the event of a complication such as meningitis.