Free temporalis muscle fascia graft in dural reconstruction following surgical resection of intermediate and malignant skull base tumors: A 10‐year experience from a single center

Abstract 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.