Combined simultaneous endoscopic endonasal and transcranial surgery using high-definition three-dimensional exoscope for malignant tumors of the anterior skull base.

BACKGROUND: Advanced surgical interventions are required to treat malignancies in the anterior skull base (ASB). This study investigates the utility of endoscopic endonasal and transcranial surgery (EETS) using a high-definition three-dimensional exoscope as an alternative to traditional microscopy. METHODS: Six patients with carcinomas of varying histopathologies underwent surgery employing the EETS maneuver, which synchronized three distinct surgical modalities: harvesting of the anterolateral thigh flap, initiation of the transnasal technique, and initiation of the transcranial procedure. RESULTS: The innovative strategy enabled successful tumor resection and skull base reconstruction without postoperative local neoplastic recurrence, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, or neurological deficits. CONCLUSION: The integration of the exoscope and EETS is a novel therapeutic approach for ASB malignancies. This strategy demonstrates the potential of the exoscope in augmenting surgical visualization, enhancing ergonomics, and achieving seamless alignment of multiple surgical interventions. This technique represents a progressive shift in the management of these complex oncological challenges.

Risk Factors for Anterior Skull Base Injury in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.

Objectives This retrospective study aimed to investigate the relationships between the Keros classification, the Gera classification, the vertical height of the posterior ethmoid roof (ER), and anterior ethmoidal artery (AEA) types in Japanese patients. Methods We investigated the computed tomography (CT) slices of paranasal sinuses (120 sides) of 60 patients; measured the cribriform plate (CP) depth, lateral lamella CP angle (LLCPA), and vertical height of the lateral ER from the hard palate (LERHP) at the coronal plane of the posterior ethmoidal artery (PEA); and reviewed the AEA types, whether floating or non-floating. Results CP depth was positively correlated with LLCPA (r=0.63; p<0.01) and the height of LERHP (r=0.19; p<0.05). The height of the LERHP in females was significantly lower than that in males. With increased CP depth, floating AEAs became prevalent (p<0.001). Conclusion In females, low height of the posterior ethmoid sinus roof, where cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks occurred while penetrating the basal lamella, often existed; the heights positively correlated with the Keros classification in Japanese patients. The Keros and Gera classifications, AEA type, and posterior ER height do not individually constitute a complete risk assessment but may correlate, preventing major complications, such as CSF leak and orbital hemorrhage.

The role of bacteriological studies in the management of peritonsillar abscess.

OBJECTIVE: Since most patients with peritonsillar abscess (PTA) can be successfully treated with surgical drainage and empirical antibiotic therapy, routine bacteriologic studies for all patients with PTA may be unnecessary. This study tried to evaluate which patients with PTA should certainly undergo bacteriologic studies. METHODS: Hundred consecutive patients with PTA were treated and underwent culture tests of purulent contents obtained by surgical drainage between April 2008 and December 2013. RESULTS: In 62 of the 100 patients, 71 pathogenic bacteria were identified; 61 (86%) were Gram-positive cocci (GPC), 8 (11%) were Gram-negative rods (GNR), and 6 (8%) were anaerobes. Normal flora were isolated in 27 patients, and culture results were negative in 11 patients. Although not significant, primary (without prior antibiotic therapy) case (odds ratio (OR)=2.19; 95% CI, 0.95-5.05) and laryngeal edema (OR=2.04; 95% CI, 0.82-5.03) showed a tendency of associations with detection of pathogenic bacteria. After taking into account interactions between smoking habit and laryngeal edema, the covariate-adjusted OR for non-smokers with laryngeal edema was significant and showed a strong relationship (OR=7.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-52.73) compared to non-smokers without laryngeal edema. CONCLUSION: Although empirical antibiotic therapy was effective for most of the PTA patients, bacteriologic studies might be indispensable for the patients with laryngeal edema considering the failure of the first treatments. Particularly, the culture tests may be useful for non-smokers with laryngeal edema.

[A Clinical Study on 64 Cases of Laryngeal Granuloma].

Vocal process granulomas are mainly associated with vocal abuse, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or endotracheal intubation. In the present study, we evaluate the prognostic factors and the usefulness of a grading system in 64 patients with vocal process granulomas. We classified the granuloma which limited the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage as grade I, and which originated from the vocal process but extended beyond the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage as grade II, according to the grading system proposed by Wang CP, et al. First, we treated this disease with conservative treatments including a proton pump inhibitor, steroid inhalation, or voice therapy. Surgical treatment was reserved for failures of conservative treatments or when the diagnosis was in doubt. The overall post-surgical recurrence rate was 65.7%, and it was significantly higher in male than female patients, and in younger than older patients. The overall remission rate was 79.7%. A multivariate analysis revealed that Grade II was a significantly poor prognostic factor and the patients with BMI ≥23 or Age <60 had a tendency to have a poor remission rate. The grading system is useful for anticipating the prognosis in cases of vocal process granuloma.

Glottic cancer in patients without complaints of hoarseness.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the clinical characteristics of patients with glottic cancer without hoarseness. METHODS: This retrospective clinical study investigated 371 patients with glottic cancer. RESULTS: Thirty-two of the 371 patients (8.6%) with glottic cancer first presented to hospitals with complaints other than hoarseness. Although proportions of stage I and T1 disease were significantly higher among patients without hoarseness than among those with hoarseness (p = .0036 and p = .0004, respectively), survival curves showed no significant differences between groups (p = .1334). CONCLUSION: Patients with glottic cancer without complaints of hoarseness were diagnosed at an earlier stage than those with hoarseness. Accumulation of more cases may lead to better survival of patients with glottic cancer without hoarseness compared to those with hoarseness. Checking the larynx of patients without hoarseness or encouraging internists to check the larynx when performing gastroscopic or respiratory examinations may lead to improvement of glottic cancer prognosis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E316-E320, 2016.

Prognostic factors and effects of early surgical drainage in patients with peritonsillar abscess.

Peritonsillar abscess is a frequently encountered otorhinolaryngological emergency, but the characteristics of patients with this disease have not been described in detail. The objective of this study was to delineate prognostic factors associated with peritonsillar abscess and the effects of early surgical drainage for the treatment of peritonsillar abscess. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 240 consecutive patients with PTA during the period from 2007 to 2013. Univariate analysis indicated that the period between symptom onset and relief was significantly longer in patients with high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (>8.53 mg/dL, p = 0.0073) and without early surgical drainage of pus (p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis identified both of these values as independently associated with longer duration of symptoms (high CRP, P < 0.0001; no early drainage, P < 0.0001). Univariate analysis indicated that the duration between symptom onset and complete recovery from the disease was significantly longer with age ≥40 years (P = 0.0004), no history of recurrent tonsillitis (P = 0.022), high CRP level (P = 0.0017), and no early surgical drainage of the abscess (P = 0.0014). Multivariate analysis identified older age (P = 0.0004), high CRP level (P = 0.0001), and no early drainage (P < 0.0001) as independently associated with longer duration between symptom onset and complete recovery. Early surgical drainage of the abscess is important for the treatment of peritonsillar abscess. Patients ≥40 years old with peritonsillar abscess and high CRP levels should be recognized as a high-risk group.

Comparison between emergency and elective endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients with acute cholangitis due to choledocholithiasis: is emergency endoscopic sphincterotomy safe?

PURPOSE: We retrospectively assessed post-EST complications and examined whether combination therapy comprising endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD) plus endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) as the initial treatment is safe in patients with acute cholangitis due to choledocholithiasis. METHODS: Among the 363 consecutive patients with acute cholangitis due to choledocholithiasis who were treated in our hospital between December 1992 and December 2006, the subjects comprised 127 patients with moderate acute cholangitis for whom EBD and EST were carried out. Factors influencing risk factors for post-EST pancreatitis, hemorrhage and hospitalization were determined by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis revealed that only precut sphincterotomy (PST) was a significant risk factor for post-EST pancreatitis, and the incidence of pancreatitis in patients who underwent PST was significantly higher than that in those who did not (P = 0.041). Only age was a significant risk factor for post-EST hemorrhage, and younger patients were likely to experience hemorrhage after EST (P = 0.021). Total bilirubin and the timing of EST were significant factors associated with hospitalization. Hospitalization in patients who underwent EBD plus EST as the initial treatment (emergency EST) was significantly shorter than that in those who palliatively underwent EST after EBD (elective EST; 11.8 vs. 16.2 days, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy comprising EBD plus EST as the initial treatment for patients with moderate acute cholangitis due to choledocholithiasis was safe and did not prolong the period of hospitalization.

[A case of incomplete torsion of the gallbladder due to partial torsion of the gallbladder neck].

A 57-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of low-grade fever and pain in the right hypochondrium. Abdominal ultrasonographic (US) examination revealed a hyperechoic mass in the body of the gallbladder. The wall of the gallbladder towards the fundus was markedly thickened, while the wall near the gallbladder neck showed no abnormality. Power Doppler and contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen revealed absence of blood flow in the fundic wall of the gallbladder, however, a contrast-enhanced image of the entire wall was obtained by contrast US, although the blood flow to the fundus was decreased. Torsion of the gallbladder was diagnosed and laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed. The gallbladder was found to be a wandering gallbladder, Gross I type, and slight counterclockwise torsion was found at the neck of the gallbladder. We report a case of partial torsion of the gallbladder neck, in which the details of the ischemic hemodynamic changes could be observed by contrast-enhanced US.

Comparison between ulinastatin and gabexate mesylate for the prevention of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis: a prospective, randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that the administration of ulinastatin, gabexate mesylate, or somatostatin may be effective in the prevention of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis. However, few randomized trials of ulinastatin and gabexate mesylate for the prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis have been reported. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of ulinastatin and gabexate mesylate for the prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients who underwent diagnostic ERCP at our hospital were divided at random by computer-generated randomization into an ulinastatin group (n = 34) and a gabexate group (n = 34). Each patient received a continuous intravenous infusion of ulinastatin (150,000 units) or gabexate mesylate (600 mg), beginning 60-90 min before the ERCP and continuing until 22 h after the ERCP. The primary endpoint was the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis, and the secondary endpoints were the incidences of hyperenzymemia and pain. RESULTS: The overall incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis was 2.9% (two patients), comprising one patient in the ulinastatin group and one patient in the gabexate group (2.9% vs 2.9%, respectively). Neither of these two patients developed severe pancreatitis. There were no significant differences in the serum levels of pancreatic enzymes or in the levels of pain between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: There was no clinical difference between the effect of preventive administration of ulinastatin and that of gabexate mesylate on the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis. Ulinastatin may be equivalent in efficacy to gabexate for reducing the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis.

[Clinical course of 4 cases of hepatic peribiliary cysts and a summary of the 38 clinical cases reported in Japan].

We encountered 4 cases of hepatic peribiliary cysts (HPBC) in our hospital. Two were asymptomatic, one was complicated by a choledocholithiasis, and one by cholangitis and sepsis. Based on a review of the 38 cases of HPBC clinically diagnosed in Japan, the main problem associated with this disease seemed incorrect preoperative diagnosis leading to an unnecessary hepatectomy. Another problem was concomitant cholangitis, which tended to recur and in some cases needed aggressive treatment using drainage.