What's a Dural Tear?

Dural tear is a tear occurring in the dura mater of the brain. It is usually caused as a result of trauma or as a complication following surgery.

How serious is a dural tear?

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage following dural tears can pose potentially serious problems such as CSF fistula formation, pseudomeningocele, meningitis, arachnoiditis and epidural abscess[1,3,10,12,15].

How do you fix a dural tear?

Dural tears are repaired using microsurgical techniques – using a microscope and a fine needle. Small dural tears are sutured or stapled close, while larger ones are reconstructed with a patch or graft. Fat or fibrin glue may be used as a sealant to reinforce the repair.