Repair of Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea in a Patient Presenting Empty Sella Syndrome: Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

Introduction: The cause of Empty Sella syndrome is unknown, however it occurs when intracranial contents herniate through the sellar diaphragm, filling the sella turcica with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and giving the appearance of an absent pituitary gland on radiography. Case Presentation: Author presents a rare case of a 67 years-old woman who was admitted into our department with a complaint of dripping clear fluid from the left side of her nose. Clinical examination and biological, radiological investigations found a CSF leakage through a minute bony defect in the floor of the sella associated with empty Stella syndrome. Treatment consisted  of the reparation of the leak using a fascia lata graft, and the sphenoidal sinus was obliterated with fat. Conclusion: When evaluating patients with non-traumatic CSF rhinorrhea, the otolaryngologist must consider empty sella syndrome as a diagnostic possibility.