Tension pneumocephalus after skull base surgery. A case report and review of literature

•Tension pneumocephalus is a neurosurgical emergency manifested by headaches, seizures, reduced consciousness and even death.•Tension pneumocephalus is a potential complication after skull base surgery.•A characteristic finding with tension pneumocephalus on imaging is the Mt. Fuji sign.•Accurate diagnosis requires appreciation of imaging features and a high index of suspicion.•Prompt intervention is imperative, and definitive management involves repair of the defect allowing intracranial air entry. Pneumocephalus describes the presence of air within the cranial cavity and is often self-limiting. Tension pneumocephalus is a neurosurgical emergency manifested by headaches, seizures, reduced consciousness and even death resulting from raised intracranial pressure. Differentiating both entities clinically is often challenging but crucial. We present a case involving a sixty-year-old male who was transferred to our unit after he collapsed while undergoing rehabilitation. The patient had undergone a combined bifrontal craniotomy and transnasal endoscopic resection of recurrent sinonasal adenocarcinoma with anterior skull base involvement eight days prior. Imaging demonstrated the classic Mt. Fuji sign and a diagnosis of tension pneumocephalus was formed. The patient proceeded for definitive management which included a multi-layered repair of the anterior skull base. The three mechanisms that propose the development of tension pneumocephalus include the ball-valve mechanism, the inverted soda-bottle effect and rarely, infection from gas forming organisms. A review of current literature on PubMed/MEDLINE revealed tension pneumocephalus after skull base surgery to be a rare entity with only eleven cases reported. Most patients achieved complete recovery of symptoms post-treatment. Clinicians should recognise tension pneumocephalus as a potential complication after skull base surgery. Accurate diagnosis requires appreciation of imaging features and a high index of suspicion. Prompt management is imperative to prevent possible devastating outcomes.