Background: Data from patients with post-ablative dural defects reconstructed using a free temporalis muscle fascia graft (FTFG) after resection of anterior or central skull base tumors were retrospectively analyzed.
Methods: The primary predictor and outcome variables were the reconstructive methods for dural repair and postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage rate, respectively.
Results: Eighty patients were included, and 94 postoperative dural reconstructions were performed using FTFG. The postoperative CSF leakage rate was 3.19%. The postoperative CSF leakage rates did not significantly differ between open and endonasal endoscopic surgeries (1.92% vs. 4.88%; p > 0.05). In cases completed using the endonasal endoscopic approach, the postoperative CSF leakage rate was significantly associated with the intraoperative CSF leak flow (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Post-ablative dural defect reconstruction using FTFG resulted in low postoperative CSF leakage and complication rates comparable to those of free fascia lata graft from available literature.
Keywords: free temporalis muscle fascia graft; malignant skull base tumors; skull base reconstruction.
© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.