Meningitis following acute traumatic cerebrospinal fluid fistula

✓ The effect of prophylactic antibiotics in preventing meningitis are reviewed in 58 cases of acute traumatic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula. A summary of the literature plus data from the present series show a total of 402 cases of acute traumatic CSF fistula; there were 46 cases (14%) of meningitis in 325 patients receiving expectant antibiotics, and four cases (5%) in 77 patients treated without antibiotics. No statistically significant conclusion can be drawn from these data regarding the usefulness of expectant antibiotics in acute traumatic CSF rhinorrhea or otorrhea.