Usefulness of A Ventricular Drainage for Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage following Laminoplasty of the Cervical Spine: A Case Report

We report a unique case of postoperative CSF leakage secondary to expansive laminoplasty for cervical ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) treated by insertion of ventricular drainage and dural repair. 34 years old, male was admitted our hospital introduced, because of his paraparesis. He had hereditary congenital rickets, therefore he took Calcium medicine for a long term. Neuroimages revealed massive OPLL at C3-7. Expansive open door laminoplasty was performed. At the operation, we found CSF leakage from the thinning dura and we repaired dural defect with muscle and fibrin glue. 10 days after operation fluid collection and CSF leakage from the operative wound was observed. The ventricle drainage and dural repair were performed, because lumber drainage could not be inserted. After second surgery CSF leak was improved. Generally speaking the ventricular drainage is not the first choise procedure for the postoperative CSF leakage. But the ventricular drainage is the basic procedure for our neurosurgeons and the complication rate of the ventricular drainage was reported about 1%. If necessary the ventricular drainage is thought to be the choice for continuous CSF drainage.