Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea: A clinical and anatomical study

Objectives/Hypothesis: Spontaneous nasal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula represents a rare clinical entity. The possible etiology and the localization of the rhinorrhea remain an ongoing clinical challenge. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the localization of spontaneous CSF fistula and to correlate it with anatomical studies. Study Design: Retrospective clinical study, prospective anatomical study. Methods: Twenty-nine patients with spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea were retrospectively studied, 10 males and 19 females. Ages ranged from 10 to 92 years (mean, 50 years). In addition, 48 human skulls from newborns to adults were examined for the postnatal development of the anterior and m…