Intracranial mucocele as a complication of endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea: Case report

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Endoscopic repair of an anterior cranial fossa cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula has gained widespread acceptance. We report a case of mucocele development at the site of an endoscopic CSF leak repair. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 46-year-old woman underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery for nasal obstructive symptoms. The surgery was complicated by an intraoperative CSF leak from the posterior cribriform plate/anterior sphenoid, which was repaired immediately using bone and mucosa grafts. Two years postoperatively, a 13-mm anterior cranial base mass was found incidentally. This mass increased to 20 mm over the next year. INTERVENTION: The anterior cranial base mass was excised via a right frontal craniotomy and confirmed histologically to be a mucocele. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic repair of an anterior cranial base CSF fistula with mucosal grafts may lead to formation of a mucocele.