Rationale: Iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea in a bilateral frontal decompressive craniectomy patient triggered by strenuous sport is rare. To the best of our knowledge, no similar case has yet been reported.
Patient concerns: Herein, we report a case of CSF rhinorrhea in a 37-year-old man. He had previously suffered a traumatic brain injury in a traffic accident, and a subsequent bilateral frontal decompressive craniectomy operation was performed. Based on the frontal skull defect peculiarity, strenuous exercise may have caused drastic CSF pressure waves to tear the dura mater of the anterior skull base, resulting in CSF rhinorrhea.
Diagnoses: The thin-slice computerized tomography (CT) images revealed a frontal skull defect and the open frontal sinus. In addition, in the opened frontal sinus, low-density liquid-filled areas were visible.
Interventions: During surgery, the torn dura was carefully repaired, and the frontal sinus was filled with temporal muscle, fascia, and fibrin glue. A simultaneous cranioplasty was performed.
Outcomes: The patient was followed-up postoperatively for 12 months to date without rhinorrhea recurrence. Recovery was uneventful.
Lessons: Patients with skull defects should avoid strenuous sports, and cranioplasty should be performed as early as possible in order to decrease the likelihood of a dural tear and prevent the occurrence of CSF leakage. After cranioplasty, the skull should be restored to a closed state to reduce the damaging effects of CSF waves during movement. It is important to maintain normal intracranial pressure to reduce the recurrence rate of CSF rhinorrhea.