Olfactory neuroblastoma behavior inside and outside the olfactory cleft.

PURPOSE: Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare malignant tumor of the nose. The currently available evidence links this disease with cells of the olfactory epithelium. The detailed description of tumor site and its extension is the key of treatment. The aim of the present study was to describe the way ONB develops inside and outside the olfactory cleft. METHODS: Thirteen consecutive patients treated between 2004 and 2014 for ONB with unequivocal pathologic diagnosis, complete diagnostic imaging and endonasal endoscopy surgery were enrolled in this retrospective study. The site of origin and local extension of each tumor were studied in detail based on computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, surgical report, registered videotape of the surgery, and pathological reports. RESULTS: This series shows the behavior of a tumor arising either in the olfactory clefts (11 cases) or in the ethmoidal labyrinth (2 cases). When the setting begins with a tumor located in the olfactory cleft (below or in contact with the cribriform plate), the further step can be the extension to the ethmoidal labyrinth before intracranial or intraorbital extension. When tumors originate inside the ethmoidal labyrinths, the extension can first be into frontal sinus or orbital cavity. CONCLUSIONS: This fine anatomic and radiologic description shows the natural behavior of ONB inside and outside the olfactory cleft. As a consequence, the staging system developed by Kadish seems inadequate and Dulguerov's staging system could be improved. However, the preliminary proposed modification has to be evaluated in a prospective and large, multicenter cohort of patients.

Compartmentalized endoscopic resection of the olfactory cleft for nasal intestinal adenocarcinomas.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to describe the pathology of the different compartments in endoscopic resection of nasal intestinal-type adenocarcinomas (ITACs) and its relationships with oncologic outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective study included all patients endoscopically operated for nasal ITACs, followed by radiotherapy in the majority of cases, between 2004 and 2014. The surgery systematically separated 3 compartments: ethmoid lateral mass, olfactory cleft, and anterior cranial fossa (in cases with skull-base invasion) to analyze their pathological "focal" or "massive" invasion by the tumor. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients (aged 69.2 ± 9.8 years) were included. Twenty-nine patients (43.3%) had only pathological focal invasion. At 61.0 ± 41.7 months of mean follow-up, the recurrence rates were 34.2% in the group with massive invasion and 10.3% in the group with focal invasion (P = .023). The disease-specific death rate had a tendency to be higher in the group with massive invasion (23.7% vs 6.9% for the group with focal invasion; P = .097). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, the 5-year disease-specific survival rate was better in the group with focal invasion than the group with massive invasion (P = .01). The 5-year overall survival was not different between the 2 groups (47.4% and 65.5% for focal invasion and massive invasion respectively; P = .14). CONCLUSION: Compartmentalized endoscopic resection, combined with postoperative radiotherapy, is one way to operate on nasal ITACs with good oncologic outcomes.

Can the Risks of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak After Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery Be Predicted?

OBJECTIVE: Identifying predictive factors of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak after translabyrinthine approach (TLA) for vestibular schwannoma. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: All patients (n = 275) operated for a vestibular schwannoma by TLA between 2004 and 2013 were included. INTERVENTION: Vestibular schwannoma surgery by TLA. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The rate of postoperative CSF leak considering the age, sex, body mass index (BMI), tumor staging, and duration of surgical procedure. A logistic regression model was used to identify the predictors and compute a biometric predictive model of CSF leak. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients (12.0%) developed a CSF leak after surgery. In a multivariable model, an increased risk of CSF leak was found for younger patients (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.98), longer duration of surgery (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.12-3.05), and the male sex (0 = male; 1 = female; OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.09-0.54), while also adjusting for BMI. The probability of developing a CSF leak after vestibular schwannoma surgery was calculated using a statistical prediction model, with a percentage of false negative of 7.0% and an overall correct prediction of 88.4%. CONCLUSION: The predictors of CSF leak after TLA for vestibular schwannoma are young age, male sex, longer duration of surgery, which adjusting for BMI. In this regard, the surgical team should adapt its management during pre- and postoperative period to decrease the likelihood of a leak.