[Fifty-four cases of nasolabial cysts]. / Le kyste nasolabial: 54 cas.

INTRODUCTION: Nasolabial cysts (NLC) are a rare condition presenting as cystic epithelial lesion. We report the clinical and radiological (CT scan) aspects of this rare clinical entity and we assess the various available surgical treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients presenting with NLC underwent surgery between 2000 and 2009. The diagnosis was made on clinical and radiological arguments and confirmed by histological examination after surgical excision. The studied parameters were: gender, functional signs having led to consultation, localization, results of radiological exploration, treatment modalities, anatomopathology and postoperative evolution. RESULTS: The average age of the 30 men and 24 women was 38 years with extremes ranging between 24 and 53 years. The reason for consultation was swelling of the anterior nasal floor in every case and a nasal obstruction for 33 patients. The average time between initial swelling and consultation was 18 months. Swelling was unilateral for 52 patients. CT scan was prescribed for 20 patients and revealed a cystic mass with an average diameter of 23 mm. Cyst excision was made under general anesthesia in every case. Most of the patients (52) were operated via a vestibular approach. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of nasolabial cyst in every case. DISCUSSION: NLC is a rare condition which must be suggested when a cystic mass is found in the anterior nasal floor. CT scan confirms the diagnosis and cyst extension. Cyst excision is performed by vestibular approach. The endoscopic marsupialization is an interesting new therapeutic alternative.

Paranasal sinus osteomas: Diagnosis and treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Osteoma is the most common benign tumor of the nose and paranasal sinuses. It is a slow-growing bony tumor, often asymptomatic, occurring mainly in frontal and ethmoid sinuses. Theories regarding the origin of osteomas are still discussed. The aims of the study were to describe diagnosis circumstances in our series and to set out our respective indications for open and endoscopic approaches in the treatment of nasosinusal osteomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on the files of all the patients treated for a paranasal sinus osteoma in our department between 1990 and 2013. Diagnosis circumstances and kind of treatment were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The files of 45 patients (mean age: 49.2; sex-ratio: 1.19) could be collected. The most common symptom was headache found in all patients. The most common location was the frontal sinus (30 cases). Thirty-nine open procedures were performed. Four osteomas were removed under endoscopic assistance. In one case, a combined approach has been used. Overall complication rate was 11.1%. Symptoms improved in all patients. Two recurrences were observed. DISCUSSION: Surgical indications in paranasal sinus osteomas are theorically well codified. However, approaches remain controversial. In our experience, the preferred approach was the open one. Endoscopic techniques, when indicated, are more challenging and need sophisticated instrumentation and a long learning curve.

[Ophthalmic complications of nasosinus mucoceles]. / Complications ophtalmiques des mucocèles rhino-sinusiennes.

INTRODUCTION: A nasosinus mucocele is a pseudocystic process filled with mucus arising within the sinus. Despite its benign histology, potential ophthalimic risks are related to mass effect and expansion to the orbit by bone destruction with compression of optic nerves. PURPOSE: We describe mechanisms of ophthalimic involvement in patients with paranasal sinus mucoceles, radiological appearance, treatment and prognosis of this disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report 5 cases of paranasal sinus mucocele with ophthalmic complications seen between January 2007 and December 2011 on the ENT and MFS service of La Rabta University hospital. RESULTS: The reason for consultation was: unilateral proptosis in 4 patients, diplopia in 2 patients and medial canthal swelling in 3 patients. Facial computed tomography showed a mucocele in the frontal sinus in two patients, in the ethmoid-frontal sinuses in two patients and in the ethmoid-maxillary sinuses in one patient. We found erosion of the orbital walls and displacement of the globe in all cases, extra-axial proptosis in one case, compression of the extraocular muscles in 4 cases and stretching of the optic nerve in three cases. All patients were treated initially with antibiotics then surgery. The postoperative course was uneventful with no recurrence. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to diagnose mucoceles as early as possible and plan surgical excision before growth of the mass irreversibly compromises visual function.

Maxillary bone myxoma.

INTRODUCTION: Maxillary bone myxoma is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor, slow-growing but locally aggressive. Pathogenesis remains disputed. OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical, radiological and histological features and treatment of maxillary myxoma, based on a pediatric case report. CASE REPORT: An infant of two and a half months presented with endonasal tumor extending to ethmoid. Surgical excision was performed on an endonasal approach. Myxoma was diagnosed by histologic examination of the surgical specimen, whereas initial biopsy had suggested fibrous dysplasia. No recurrence was observed after two and a half years' surveillance. CONCLUSION: Positive diagnosis of maxillary myxoma is histological. Treatment is primarily surgical. Strict long-term surveillance is required because of the high risk of recurrence.

[Management of ocular and orbital complications in acute sinusitis]. / Prise en charge des complications oculo-orbitaires des sinusites aiguës.

PURPOSE: Describe the clinical presentations of orbital complications of acute sinusitis and discuss therapeutic approaches. METHODS: Retrospective study of 29 cases of acute sinusitis with orbital extension hospitalized over a period of 12years (2000 to 2012). RESULTS: There were 23 men and 6 women. The mean age was 15.75years. The average time until consultation was 7.68 days. Sinusitis was ethmoido-maxillary in 20 cases, ethmoidal in 6 cases, and frontal in 3 cases. Orbital extension was grouped according to the Chandler classification: stage I (3 cases), stage II (3 cases), stage III (15 cases), stage IV (8 cases). Antibiotic therapy was prescribed in all cases. Surgery was performed in 22 cases. Bacterial cultures revealed streptococcus (2 cases), aspergillus fumigatus (1 case) and were negative in 8 cases. The outcome was favorable in 27 cases. In two cases, the outcome was unfavorable with associated intracranial complications. DISCUSSION: Oculoorbital extension of acute sinusitis is a diagnostic and therapeutic emergency. Paranasal sinus CT is essential to confirm orbital extension and identify the causative sinus. Intravenous antibiotic therapy is the main treatment. The roles of corticosteroid and heparin therapy remain controversial. Surgery is indicated in the case of abscess or high visual risk. Endoscopic endonasal surgery appears to have a double role, in diagnosis and treatment.

Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a viral infection that combines facial palsy and pinnal vesicular rash. OBJECTIVES: To detail diagnostic criteria, treatment and prognosis in Ramsay Hunt syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 15 patients with Ramsay Hunt syndrome admitted to the ENT department of La Rabta Hospital (Tunis) from 2003 to 2009. RESULTS: The main presenting symptom was facial palsy associated with conchal vesicular rash. House-Brackmann classification of facial nerve function ranged from III to V. All patients were treated with acyclovir and corticosteroids. Mean follow-up was 8 months. Ten patients showed improvement in facial palsy, four had permanent palsy and one moved from grade IV to grade III. CONCLUSION: Ramsay Hunt syndrome involves severe dysfunction, with poorer facial nerve prognosis than in Bell's palsy.

Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type: report of 15 cases.

OBJECTIVES: To define the epidemiological and clinical features and complementary investigation findings of extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type and to discuss the diagnostic difficulties and the various treatment options. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was based on 15 patients with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, managed between 1990 and 2009. RESULTS: This series comprised 13 men and two women (sex ratio=6.5) with a mean age of 52 years (range: 35-81 years). The mean time to first consultation was 6 months. The most common symptoms were nasal obstruction (87%) and purulent nasal discharge (73%), followed by epistaxis (60%). Physical examination demonstrated the presence of a tumour of the nasal cavity in 11 patients. The diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination of a biopsy completed by immunohistochemistry. CT scan of the facial bones was performed in all patients of this series. The site of extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma was essentially nasal (12 cases). Orbital extension was observed in four cases, associated with intracranial extension in two cases and osteolysis was observed in 11 patients. Lymphomas were classified as stage IE in 74% of cases and stage IIE in 26% of cases. Only one patient was lost to follow-up during treatment. Three patients died before any treatment. Treatment therefore concerned 12 patients. Stage IE lymphomas were treated by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. All stage IIE lymphomas were treated by chemotherapy alone. Stage IE patients had a better prognosis. CONCLUSION: Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, is an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma comprising specific clinicopathological characteristics. The addition of chemotherapy for advanced stages does not appear to improve survival compared radiotherapy alone, which remains the treatment of choice especially for localized stages.

[Granulomatous invasive aspergillosis rhinosinusitis]. / La rhinosinusite aspergillaire invasive granulomateuse.

INTRODUCTION: Granulomatous invasive aspergillosis rhinosinusitis is a rare disease. Anatomopathologic and mycological examination allows the diagnosis. Treatment must be rapidly started in order to avoid orbital and intracranial complications. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the main clinical, radiological, histopathological, mycological and therapeutic aspects of granulomatous invasive aspergillosis rhinosinusitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study included five patients operated for granulomatous invasive aspergillosis rhinosinusitis at the Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Department of La Rabta Hospital from 2000 to 2011. RESULTS: These are four women and one man with mean age of 24.8 years. Functional symptoms were dominated by nasal obstruction and purulent rhinorrhea. Imaging showed a unilateral pansinusien filling extended to the nasal cavity with bone lysis. An orbital and endocranial extension was noted in two cases. Endonasal approach was performed in four patients and external approach in one patient. Anatomopathologic and mycological examination confirmed the diagnosis. All patients were started on antifungal therapy. One reccurence had been noted. Endonasal approach was performed. CONCLUSION: Granulomatous invasive aspergillosis rhinosinusitis is a rare infection. The prognosis is particularly serious which warrants a rapid therapeutic care to avoid complications.

Interest of fine-needle aspiration cytology in thyroid nodule.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate our technique of thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), its limitations and means of improvement by comparing our results with those of literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thyroid FNAC results from 117 consecutive patients (May 2006 to July 2007) were categorized into four groups: benign, with suspected malignancy, malignant and unrepresentative. The FNAC results were compared with histopathologic analysis after thyroidectomy. RESULTS: All "benign" and "malignant" FNAC findings were confirmed on final histology. All "suspect" FNAC findings were benign on histology. Cytological diagnosis of malignancy was consistent with histological examination in all cases. Sensitivity was 100% (no false negatives), specificity 67% (28% false positives), positive predictive value 72% and negative predictive value 100%. There was a significant difference in the proportion of "unrepresentative" results between two of the operators performing aspiration (51% versus 29.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The main pitfall of FNAC in thyroid pathology is the "suspect" category, for which positive diagnosis is founded on histological criteria alone. The second limitation identified in this study was the high number of "unrepresentative" aspirates. However, the technique remains useful.