The case for using lumbar drainage intraoperatively to help curb the number of iatrogenic CSF leaks

All patients had a preoperative gadolinium enhanced MRI study performed but only 30 patients were said to be eligible for a postoperative scan. [...]these studies were not done under similar conditions with a limited number of patients undergoing postoperative gadolinium-enhanced studies. [...]many of the complications occurring with the use of lumbar drainage are to be found in the cardiothoracic literature. [...]it is fair to say that the use of an intraoperative CSF drainage may be a helpful tool in reducing the percentage of iatrogenic CSF leaks.