cisternal drainage
Pronunciation: sis-TER-nal
Surgical technique for draining cerebrospinal fluid from basal cisterns to reduce intracranial pressure.
Full Definition
Cisternal drainage is a neurosurgical procedure that involves placing a catheter into the basal cisterns of the brain to drain cerebrospinal fluid and reduce intracranial pressure. This technique is often employed during complex skull base procedures, following subarachnoid hemorrhage, or in cases of communicating hydrocephalus. The most commonly accessed cistern is the cisterna magna, though other cisterns may be utilized depending on the clinical situation. Cisternal drainage can be temporary (during surgery) or prolonged (for several days postoperatively) to manage CSF dynamics.
Usage
Usage note: Specify which cistern is accessed; commonly cisterna magna in posterior fossa procedures.
In Context
- "Cisternal drainage was performed to decompress the posterior fossa during tumor resection." — Operative report
- "The cisternal drainage catheter was removed on postoperative day three without complications." — Progress note