Frontalis Sling Surgery With IBCN-Ritleng Probe: A New Technique With a 20-Gauge Catheter.

INTRODUCTION: Frontalis sling surgery is the reference procedure for severe ptosis due to poor Levator function. Autologous or synthetic materials are used for lifting the upper eyelid. OBJECTIVE: To describe a new technique of passage of a silicon wire through a 20-gauge intravenous catheter and to explore literature. METHODS: A 83-year-old male patient with simple, severe ptosis with previous levator resection surgery (7 month before) had frontalis sling with a silicone IBCN wire placed under local anesthesia with a closed technique. It consisted in realization of 3 punctiform incisions upper the eyebrow, through which a 20G intravenous catheter was inserted and droven to the free border of the upper eyelid. The polypropylene part of the IBCN probe silicone tube, IBCN set, was interlocked into the needle tip, enabling to drag the wire through its tunnel without eyelid dissection. The body of the IBCN probe was consequently placed on the free edge of the eyelid, whereas its 2 ends were tied under the middle upper eyebrow incision, enabling to adjust tension of the probe according to the severity of ptosis. The node was kept subcutaneously, allowing correction "on demand" of wire tension in the future by the surgeon. RESULTS: No infections, exposures, or granuloma formations were seen in our patient at 2 months, whereas visual field was improved and the patient fully satisfied. DISCUSSION: Small punctiform incisions and limited skin dissection offer a significant advantage, as well as the materials that are easy to access and cheap, in the frontalis sling surgery. CONCLUSION: The authors added to frontalis sling surgery a simple and cost-effective alternative technique of passage of a subcutaneous probe, with an IBCN wire whose dimensions fit perfectly a 20-gauge intravenous catheter and allowing later correction "on demand" of the ptosis.

"Gauze Technique" in the Treatment of the Fungus Ball of the Maxillary Sinus: A Technique as Simple as It Is Effective.

Fungus ball of maxillary sinus generally affects immunocompetent and nonatopic subjects. Although endoscopic removal is the current gold standard treatment, removal is at times difficult due to an accumulation of fungal elements in the anterior ad inferior recesses. Aim. To present our experience of maxillary fungus ball treated by the "gauze technique" that avoids these removal difficulties. Materials and Methods. A retrospective, cross-sectional, and descriptive study of 25 patients affected by maxillary fungus ball was carried out: 19 were treated by the "gauze technique" and 6 were treated without "gauze technique." Results. A comparison was made between the two groups for surgery procedure time, length of hospitalization, time from surgery to nasal unpacking, complications, and postsurgical patient satisfaction. The only statistically significant difference observed was a shorter surgical procedure time (p < 0.05) for the "gauze technique." Conclusions. The data obtained in this study demonstrated that the "gauze technique" is a safe, simple, and quick technique, able to reduce surgery procedure time whilst providing excellent functional outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Endoscopic removal of an ectopic tooth in maxillary sinus.

Ectopic teeth erupted in the maxillary sinus are rarely reported. Although the causes of eruption of a tooth into the maxillary sinus are unclear, some clinical conditions are suspected to be responsible, such as developmental disturbances (cleft palate), displacement of teeth by trauma, interventions or cyst, infection, genetic factors, crowding, and dense bone. Most cases of ectopic teeth in the maxillary sinus are asymptomatic and are occasionally diagnosed thanks to routine radiographic investigations.The aim of this article is to present and discuss the surgical management of an ectopic third molar in the roof of the maxillary sinus.

Management and outcomes of three cases of rhinocerebral mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic infection caused by fungi belonging to Mucorales order. The infection usually starts in the middle or inferior nasal meatus and then spreads to the paranasal sinuses and the orbit. Then it reaches the brain through the ethmoid and the orbit apex and can lead to lethargy, paralysis, and death. The majority of cases of rhinocerebral mucormycosis are diagnosed in patients with immunologic and metabolic disorders. Early diagnosis is fundamental, and so is medical therapy with amphotericin B along with surgical toilet of the compromised tissues. This article presents and discusses the management of 3 cases of rhinocerebral mucormycosis with different onsets, progressions, and outcomes.

Mucociliary function during maxillary sinus floor elevation.

Maxillary sinus floor elevation carries the potential risk of compromising the sinus physiology. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess mucociliary function during maxillary sinus augmentation in patients without preoperative signs of maxillary sinusitis. Ten patients underwent unilateral sinus floor elevation under local anesthesia and endoscopic control. Methylene blue was dropped on the floor of the maxillary sinus to evaluate mucociliary function until the ostium region during sinus augmentation. The drainage of methylene blue was noticed in the lateral, medial, posterior, and anterior walls and in the roof of the sinus. As for the sinus floor, only the detached part of mucosa in correspondence of the eroded bony window presented not drained methylene blue, showing an absence of mucociliary function. Mucociliary function is preserved even during the surgical procedure except for the detached area of the schneiderian membrane.

Endoscopic-assisted removal of an intraorbital dislocated dental implant.

OBJECTIVES: Displacement of dental implants in the orbit is extremely rare. The aim of this article is to present and discuss the endoscopic management of a dental implant dislocated in the orbit. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 40-year-old woman underwent the placement of three dental implants at the upper right molar region, but during the intervention, the implant was displaced in the orbit. RESULTS: The implant was removed endoscopically through the existing oroantral communication: the postoperative course was uneventful. CONCLUSION: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on a displaced non-zygomatic dental implant into the orbit. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the endoscopic approach is highly reliable and minimally invasive to remove foreign bodies from paranasal sinuses.

Severe subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum associated with minor maxillofacial trauma.

In the maxillofacial region, subcutaneous emphysema, which occurs after fractures of the pneumatic paranasal sinuses, is a common finding in a maxillofacial surgeon's daily practice. Pneumomediastinum secondary to these fractures is a less frequent event, however, without thoracic or abdominal injuries. The authors report a case of severe subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum that occurred after fractures of the nasal bones and medial orbital wall. The etiology, diagnosis, and treatment modalities of mediastinal emphysema are discussed.