Pneumocephalus after posterior fossa surgery in prone position: Is that any clinical effect?

Ghassen Gader; Mouna Rkhami; Alifa Daghfous; Mohamed Zouaghi; Ihsèn Zammel; Mohamed Badri

doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2021.106736

Pneumocephalus after posterior fossa surgery in prone position: Is that any clinical effect?

Int J Surg Case Rep. 2022 Jan:90:106736. doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2021.106736. Epub 2021 Dec 28.

Authors

Ghassen Gader¹, Mouna Rkhami², Alifa Daghfous³, Mohamed Zouaghi², Ihsèn Zammel³, Mohamed Badri²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Trauma and Burns Center, Ben Arous, University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunisia. Electronic address: ghassgader@gmail.com.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Trauma and Burns Center, Ben Arous, University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunisia.
³ Department of Radiology, Trauma and Burns Center, Ben Arous, University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunisia.

Abstract

Introduction: The term pneumocephalus refers to the existence of air in any intracranial compartment. Its presence in the follows of a supratentorial craniotomy is very common, and it usually represents a benign complication as it is very rarely responsible for clinical manifestations.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 24 years-old man, who underwent posterior fossa surgery in prone position for resection of a vermian tumor. Postoperative, the patient presented a tonic-clonic generalized seizure associated to high levels of arterial pressure and decerebration. Control CT scan showed an important pneumocephalus. On the posterior fossa, the air was responsible for a compression of the brainstem, without any other postoperative complications. Following 12 h of conservative management, a brain MRI showed a total regression of the pneumocephalus. 3 days later, the patient presented a favorable outcome as he was extubated without any major impairments.

Discussion: Transformation of pneumocephalus into tension pneumocephalus responsible for clinical inadvertance is rare. This complication is mainly related to surgeries performed in sitting position. The occurrence of compressive pneumocephalus after a posterior fossa craniotomy performed in a prone position is seldom.

Conclusions: Through this case, we discuss pathophysiology and therapeutic approaches for tension pneumocephalus following posterior fossa performed in prone position.

Keywords: Epilepsy; Neurooncology; Neurosurgery; Pneumocephalus; Posterior fossa.