Immediate CPAP Use after Skull Base Reconstruction with Hydroxyapatite Bone Cement

Abstract

Objective: The timing for resuming continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) postoperatively after skull base surgery remains controversial because of the risk of pneumocephalus. We determined the safety of immediate CPAP use after middle cranial fossa (MCF) spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (sCSF) leak repair with bone cement.

Study design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary academic medical center.

Patients: Thirteen consecutive patients with CPAP-treated obstructive sleep apnea and temporal bone sCSF leaks who underwent skull base repair with hydroxyapatite bone cement between July 2021 and October 2022.

Interventions: CPAP use resumed on postoperative day 1 after the confirmation of skull base reconstruction with temporal bone computed tomography (CT).

Main outcome measures: Postoperative skull base defects on CT, pneumocephalus, or intracranial complications.

Results: The average age was 55.5 ± 8.8 years (±standard deviation), and 69.2% were female with a BMI of 45.39 ± 15.1 kg/m 2 . Multiple tegmen defects were identified intraoperatively in 53.9% of patients with an average of 1.85 ± 0.99 defects and an average defect size on preoperative imaging of 6.57 ± 3.45 mm. All patients had an encephalocele identified intraoperatively. No residual skull base defects were observed on CT imaging on postoperative day 1. No postoperative complications occurred. One patient developed a contralateral sCSF leak 2 months after repair. There were no recurrent sCSF leaks 1 month postoperatively.

Conclusion: Immediate postoperative CPAP use is safe in patients undergoing MCF sCSF leak repair with bone cement because of the robust skull base repair.