Endoscopic endonasal transphenoidal surgery using the BrainLAB® Headband for navigation without rigid fixation.

The number of lesions of the skull base currently resected via endoscopic, endonasal, transphenoidal approach has increased. We have successfully treated 63 consecutive patients with pituitary lesions using this technique in combination with BrainLAB reference headband and laser surface scanning (BrainLAB(®), Heimstetten, Germany) for surgical navigation. This technique affords several advantages over neuronavigation based on adhesive-mounted fiducial registration. Rigid fixation in a Mayfield clamp is not required, which allows for flexibility with respect to positioning of the head during the procedure. This is particularly important, as extension and flexion of the head provide greater exposure to the clivus and anterior skull base, respectively. Also, we demonstrate that this technique is safe, easy-to-use, and faster compared with other ones.

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for functional pituitary adenomas.

OBJECT: The purpose of this study was to analyze preoperative predictors of endocrinological remission following endonasal endoscopic resection of therapy-resistant prolactin-, growth hormone (GH)-, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenomas and to establish benchmarks for cure by using the most recent consensus criteria. METHODS: The authors reviewed a prospective database of 86 consecutive functional pituitary adenomas that were resected by a purely endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal technique. Extent of resection was evaluated on postoperative contrast-enhanced MR imaging. Endocrinological remission was defined according to the most recent consensus criteria. RESULTS: The majority of functional adenomas (62.8%) were classified as macroadenomas (> 1 cm in maximum diameter), and 20.9% of lesions had invaded the cavernous sinus (CS) at the time of surgery. A gross-total resection was achieved in 75.6% of all patients. The rate of endocrinological remission differed between various types of functional adenomas. Cure rates were 92.3% (microadenomas) and 57.1% (macroadenomas) for prolactinomas, 75% (microadenomas) and 40% (macroadenomas) for GH-secreting tumors, and 54.5% (microadenomas) and 71.4% (macroadenomas) for ACTH-secreting tumors. Lower rates of cure occurred in GH-secreting macroadenomas due to a high rate of CS invasion, and in ACTH-secreting adenomas due to a high rate of lesions that were not visible on preoperative MR imaging. Whereas univariate analysis showed that macroadenoma, suprasellar, cavernous extension, or extent of resection correlated with cure, on multivariate analysis, only extent of resection and suprasellar extension predicted cure. One patient developed postoperative meningitis that was complicated by hydrocephalus requiring a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Two patients developed postoperative panhypopituitarism, and 2 patients suffered from CSF leaks, which were treated with lumbar CSF diversion. CONCLUSIONS: This paper reports benchmarks for endocrinological cure as well as complications in a large series of purely endoscopic pituitary surgeries by using the most recent consensus criteria. The advantages of extended endonasal approaches are most profound in tumors with suprasellar extension and CS invasion.

High-viscosity polymethylmethacrylate cement for endoscopic anterior cranial base reconstruction.

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (ETSS) is an effective, minimally invasive approach for the resection of anterior skull base tumors. Cerebrospinal leakage is a common complication, and repair of the anterior skull base defect with alloplastic materials has been used to minimize the risk of postoperative CSF rhinorrhea and meningitis. Injectable cements, such as low-viscosity polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), are useful for cranial base reconstruction because they are easy to shape to the contour of the defect. These low-viscosity materials, however, are more susceptible to leakage into the nasal cavity prohibiting their use and are prone to cracking upon hardening. Cement extravasation not only obstructs the operator's view during placement, but it is also associated with significant local and systemic complications. High-viscosity (HV) PMMA-based cement and its specialized delivery system have recently been shown to be safe and effective in human applications. Moreover, its constant high viscosity significantly reduces cement leakage and its associated complications. The authors hypothesized that this type of cement would therefore be ideal for ETSS to repair anterior skull base defects. The authors report their experience using HV-PMMA to reconstruct the anterior skull base in 12 patients following ETSS. The unique puttylike consistency of this material is easy to work, malleable, does not leak into the nasal cavity, does not aspirate into suction tubing, and hardens without cracks in less than 10 minutes. None of the 12 patients suffered postoperative CSF leaks or infections more than 8 months, on average, after surgery. Although not necessary in all cases of ETSS, the authors conclude that HV-PMMA, if needed, may be an excellent choice for reconstructing the anterior skull base after ETSS. Further studies are needed to better assess the long-term outcomes of HV-PMMA cement and its use in repairing skull base defects after extended ETSS.

Inflammatory pathway gene expression in chronic rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND: The main objective in this preliminary experiment was to compare gene expression in the sinus mucosa of patients with chronic hyperplastic rhinosinusitis (CRS) against normal subjects, using gene microarray technology. The specific aim was to examine alterations in inflammatory mediator expression in patients with CRS. We performed a prospective experimental study. METHODS: Total RNA samples were obtained from the sinus mucosa biopsies of 14 patients with chronic hyperplastic sinusitis and 4 normal controls, using the Affymetrix recommended protocol. The data for 22,000 genes on the GeneChip U133A were generated from 18 hybridizations. Affymetrix GeneChip 5.0 was used as the image acquisition software for the U133A chips. Data normalization, log transformation, statistical analysis, and pattern study were performed with GeneSpring software. Comparison between patients with CRS and normal controls were performed using the Welch t-test, with log transformed data. RESULTS: There were a total of 1283 genes scored as differentially expressed between groups. The value of p, the probability of a false positive, was set to <0.05. Hierarchical clustering was applied to study coexpression patterns of the 1283 significant genes. The inflammatory pathway was overlaid with the differential expressed gene list. Four genes involved in the inflammatory pathway, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12A, IL-13, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha (2) were consistently overexpressed in patients with hyperplastic CRS. CONCLUSION: There is overexpression of four major genes of the inflammatory pathway (IL-6, IL-12A, IL-13, and TNF-alpha (2)) in patients with CRS compared with the normal population. Defining gene expression profiles may help elucidate new key factors in the pathogenesis of CRS and perhaps aid in the development of new therapeutic modalities.

Endoscopic placement of spreader grafts in the nasal valve.

OBJECTIVE: Surgery to the internal nasal valve is presently approached either externally via an open rhinoplasty incision or transnasally. The endoscopic approach has become the preferred method of access to various other sinonasal conditions. The goal of this study was to evaluate 1) whether the internal nasal valve could be accessed and evaluated endoscopically and 2) whether a spreader graft placed under endoscopic visualization could widen the nasal valve area. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Single-blinded study on 8 cadaveric heads. One side per head was randomly selected to be studied. The contralateral side served as the control. The nasal valve was approached endoscopically via the submucoperichondrial plane of the nasal septum with a 30-degree endoscope. After fully examining and subsequently separating the internal nasal valve, a spreader graft was placed. A blinded examiner then performed acoustic rhinometry to measure the nasal valve area as well as corroborate the position from an external approach. This data was then statistically analyzed using the paired Student t test. RESULTS: The nasal valve was easily detected endoscopically and the position of the spreader grafts was externally confirmed in all 8 specimens. The mean change of the nasal valve area on the side with the spreader grafts was 0.28 cm2. On the control side, the mean change was 0.026 cm2. This difference was statistically significant (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The endoscopic approach is a viable option in accessing the nasal valve. Endoscopic placement of a spreader graft has also been shown to statistically widen the nasal valve area.

Fluconazole nasal spray in the treatment of allergic fungal sinusitis: a pilot study.

The authors describe a prospective pilot study designed to investigate the use of topical nasal antifungal spray in addition to systemic steroids and itraconazole in the treatment of allergic fungal sinusitis. Sixteen patients with a history of allergic fungal sinusitis were given fluconazole nasal spray and followed for 3 months. Stabilization or improvement of disease without significant side effects was observed in 12 of the 16 patients who were treated with this protocol. These results indicate that topical fluconazole application may help patients with allergic fungal sinusitis; however, a larger multicenter study with longer patient follow-up is required to validate these initial findings.

The role of mitomycin C in preventing synechia and stenosis after endoscopic sinus surgery.

BACKGROUND: Synechia and stenosis formation after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) represents a potential source of surgical failure. Mitomycin C (MMC) has been used successfully in other fields to decrease postoperative scar formation. We hypothesize that the topical application of MMC reduces the incidence of stenosis and synechia formation after ESS. METHODS: This study is a randomized, controlled, single-blinded study based in a tertiary care teaching hospital. After routine ESS, a pledget soaked in MMC (0.5%) was randomly placed into the middle meatus of one nasal cavity for 5 minutes and a pledget soaked in saline was placed in the contralateral side in each patient. A blinded observer followed the patients for any evidence of stenosis or synechia formation. The medical records of enrolled patients were reviewed for demographics, diagnosis, prior surgery, type of sinus surgery, complications, incidence of stenosis/synechia, and need for further procedures. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were included in the final analysis. The mean follow-up period was 15 months (range, 3-32 months). There were no complications in this series. Eight patients experienced 10 episodes of synechia formation and one patient experienced 1 episode of synechia formation and 1 episode of stenosis of the maxillary sinus ostium. Seven of the 12 episodes of synechia/stenosis occurred on the side of the MMC application and the remaining 5 episodes occurred on the side opposite to the MMC application. This difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The topical application of MMC did not decrease the incidence of stenosis and synechia formation after ESS.

Incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus causing chronic rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: To identify the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causing chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and identify whether antibiotic use and previous endoscopic sinus surgeries (ESS) contribute to its development. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case control analysis, with the control group randomly selected and matched for age and sex. METHODS: All patients undergoing an endonasal culture in a tertiary otolaryngology center between April 2001 and March 2003 for mucopurulent rhinosinusitis were identified. A chart review was undertaken to identify those patients with a positive MRSA culture result. An age- and sex-matched control group was randomly chosen, and an interview was conducted to identify antibiotic use and previous ESS. A statistical analysis on these two variables was carried out using a t test and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty cultures were identified in 188 patients, and of these, 264 cultures in 173 patients met the inclusion criteria. There were 141 positive cultures and 13 positive MRSA cultures. The overall incidence of MRSA in this population was 9.22%. The mean number of antibiotic courses in the MRSA and the control groups was 33.2 and 26.7, respectively, which was not statistically significant (P =.43). The 95% confidence interval (CI) for this mean difference of 6.5 is -9.8 to 22.8. The mean number of ESS in the MRSA and control groups was 2.0 and 1.9, respectively, which was not statistically significant (P =.93). The 95% CI for this mean difference of 0.06 is -1.3 to 1.4. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a 9.22% incidence of MRSA-causing CRS. The frequency of antibiotic use and previous ESS were found not to be statistically significant causes of MRSA sinusitis. However, the 95% CI for antibiotic usage is skewed to the right, indicating a possible role for its contribution to the emergence of MRSA-causing CRS.

Incidence of chronic hyperostotic rhinosinusitis in patients undergoing primary sinus surgery compared to revision surgery.

HYPOTHESIS: The incidence of chronic hyperostotic rhinosinusitis has been underreported due to poor recognition of the disease process. The surgical management of chronic hyperostotic rhinosinusitis with prolonged pre and post-operative antibiotic therapy can alter clinical course of the disease process. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study of 40 patients based at two teaching tertiary care institutions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: CT scans of twenty patients (ten undergoing primary sinus surgery and ten undergoing revision sinus surgery) were randomly selected from each institution and reviewed by an independent radiologist for evidence of hyperostosis and compared to original reading of the CT scans. RESULTS: The finding of sinus hyperostosis is rarely reported by the radiologist on the sinus CT scan where the focus is always on mucosal disease. The incidence of sinus hyperostosis is higher, in patients undergoing revision sinus surgery than patients undergoing primary sinus surgery. CONCLUSION: Sinus hyperostosis is not an uncommon finding in chronic refractory sinusitis which may require long term intravenous antibiotic therapy in conjunction with surgery to provide symptomatic relief.

Significance of eosinophilia in chronic rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of serum eosinophilia in the prognosis of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Eosinophils are now considered to play a major role in the pathogenesis of CRS. To date, no study has evaluated the clinical course of patients with CRS and serum eosinophilia. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 620 patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery, (ESS) for CRS was performed. Thirty-one patients (5%) had elevated serum eosinophil counts and served as the study group. Patient charts of the study group and 34 (5%) controls with normal serum eosinophil counts were reviewed for comorbid diseases including asthma, polyps, and allergic fungal sinusitis. The number of ESSs performed and the postoperative recurrence of multiple sinus infections and need for antibiotics, systemic steroids, and antifungal agents were compared. RESULTS: A higher proportion of patients with serum eosinophilia had a history of asthma, polyp disease, and allergic fungal sinusitis. Postoperatively, the study group had a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) as compared with controls with respect to postoperative recurrent sinus infections (94% versus 32%) and polyp disease (35% versus 3%). Statistical difference between study and control groups was also found with respect to the postoperative need for antifungal agents (23% versus 3%), multiple courses of antibiotics (84% versus 32%), and revision ESS (84% versus 24%). Although not statistically significant, a higher proportion of the study group required systemic steroids. CONCLUSIONS: CRS patients with serum eosinophilia have a worse prognosis when compared with controls. Patients with eosinophilia should be counseled appropriately, and the physician should be aware of the chronicity of disease.

Computer-aided image-guided endoscopic sinus surgery in unusual cases of sphenoid disease.

The vital neurovascular structures that border the sphenoid sinus make extensive sphenoid sinus surgery hazardous despite the advent of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Computer-aided image-guided endoscopic sinus surgery (CAIGESS) has facilitated safer surgery by providing real-time analysis of complex, three-dimensional anatomic landmarks. We present 6 cases of atypical sphenoid disease, which greatly benefited from the unique superiority of CAIGESS in avoding surgical complications. Two cases of cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) leak with concomitant meningoencephalocele of the sphenoid sinus were successfully managed with this technique. An inverting papilloma originating from the sphenoid sinus was successfully exenterated using CAIGESS. One patient, who experienced a lateral-rectus muscle palsy from sphenoid sinusitis, underwent successful sinusotomy with CAIGESS. Another patient, who had refractory left-sided sphenoid sinusitis despite 2 ESS procedures, was found to have an obliquely oriented intersinus septum which misled the previous surgeons to enter mistakenly the contralateral sphenoid sinus. CAIGESS allowed accurate identification and removal of the intersinus septum and relief of the sinusitis. Finally, a sphenoid-sinus mucocele that developed after a prior pituitary surgery was safely decompressed with CAIGESS. This surgical approach offers a new and effective adjunct to ESS in selected revision or difficult sinus cases and has proven invaluable in complicated sphenoid cases where the surrounding neurovascular anatomy could otherwise be jeopardized.