A Case Report of Intracranial Complication Following Septorhinoplasty

Septorhinoplasty is one of the most common cosmetic procedures in Iran. Intracranial complications such as meningitis, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea, pneumocephalus, and damage to the skull’s base are rare, but potential life-threatening complications are associated with such procedures, though very few cases of intracranial complications after septorhinoplasty have been reported.
A 29-year-old woman was admitted to a limited surgery clinic in Tehran, Iran in 2015 for septorhinoplasty, and 4 days post-operation she complained of headache, drowsiness, and CSF rhinorrhea. The patient’s surgical complications included a skull base fracture, pneumocephalus, and an epidural hematoma.
Prevention of life-threatening complications following septorhinoplasty is important. Prevention, early detection, and appropriate treatment of intracranial complications will result in fewer catastrophic outcomes. To prevent damage to the skull base and other cerebral complications, it is necessary that surgeons use a suitable technique, understand appropriate anatomical information, maintain awareness of possible anatomic variations, and practice gentle manipulation of the ethmoid roof.