P.094 Spinal dural repair: a Canadian questionnaire

Background: Iatrogenic dural tear a complication of spinal surgery with significant morbidity and cost to the healthcare system. The optimal management is unclear, and therefore we aimed to survey current practices among Canadian practitioners. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to members of the Canadian Neurological Surgeon’s Society designed to explore methods of closure of iatrogenic durotomy. Results: Spinal surgeons were surveyed with a 55% response rate (n=91). For pinhole sized tears there is a trend toward sealant fixation(36.7%). Medium and large sized tears are predominantly closed with sutures and sealant(67% and 80%, respectively). Anterior tears are managed using sealant alone(48%). Posterior tears are treated with a combination of sutures and sealant(73.8%). Nerve root tears are treated with either sealant alone(50%). Most respondents recommended bed rest for at least 24 hours in the setting of medium(73.2%) and large(89.1%) dural tears. Conclusions: This study elucidates the areas of uncertainty with regard to iatrogenic dural tear management. There is disagreement regarding management of anterior and nerve root tears, pin-hole sized tears in any location of the spine, and whether patients should be admitted to hospital or on bed-rest following a pin-hole sized dural tear. There is a need for a robust comparative research study of dural repair strategies.