Role of Leukocyte-Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery Defect Reconstruction

In a pilot study from January to May 2015 involving 47 patients, researchers evaluated the use of leukocyte-platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) in healing after endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery. The patients had resections of sellar, parasellar, and suprasellar lesions and received L-PRF membranes for skull base reconstruction. At 21 days post-surgery, 17 patients (42%) showed improved crusting scores from their 7-day postoperative examination, with 10 patients (23%) having no crusting. However, 14 patients (34%) had no change, and 4 patients (8.5%) experienced postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks requiring surgical repair. The study suggested that L-PRF membranes might be useful for skull base defect reconstruction, but emphasized the need for larger studies with control groups to better understand its effectiveness.