Skull Base Opening Caused by Traffic Accident Detected Four Years Later
It was announced that a patient who suffered a head injury in an accident four years ago was suffering from cerebrospinal fluid leaking from her nose and regained her health through a successful operation.
It was realized four years later that a patient who experienced a prolonged nasal discharge after a traffic accident was losing cerebrospinal fluid due to an opening in her skull base, and she was treated with a successful operation.
The Accident and Subsequent Process
Rukiye Ağaçayak was injured after taking a blow to her head in a traffic accident four years ago and was discharged after treatment at the hospital. She ignored the clear fluid coming from her left nostril for a long time, thinking it was a cold or an allergy.
Examinations and Diagnosis Phase
Upon a significant increase in the clear fluid discharge in the last three months, Rukiye Ağaçayak applied to the hospital, and the truth was reached as a result of detailed examinations. The investigations confirmed that this fluid was cerebrospinal fluid and that there was an opening in the lower base of the brain.
Successful Endoscopic Surgery
It was determined that the opening in the skull base developed due to the traffic accident four years ago, and the patient was taken into surgery at Bilkent City Hospital on September 16. The approximately three-hour operation performed endoscopically through the nose was successfully completed.
Expert Opinions and Warnings
Evaluating the operation, Specialist Dr. Muhittin Akalın from the Ankara Bilkent City Hospital Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic emphasized that advanced endoscopic technology and navigation systems are effective in treatment. Experts pointed out that unilateral clear discharges seen after head traumas must be taken seriously.