Long-term middle-ear ventilation with subannular tubes.

OBJECTIVE: Long-term tympanostomy tubes are associated with a significant rate of complications, particularly persistent perforation. We describe the outcomes of 57 subannular ventilation tube insertions in 45 consecutive patients. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SUBJECTS: We studied 45 consecutive patients with chronic otitis media with effusion and hearing loss (n = 54 cases), associated with adhesive otitis media (n = 7), tympanic membrane retraction (n = 17) and tympanic membrane perforation (n = 3). The mean follow up was 48 months (range, nine to 95 months). RESULTS: The mean duration of ventilation for tubes still in situ was 22 months (range, one to 76 months; n = 29), and for tubes which extruded or were removed 23 months (range, one to 85 months; n = 28). The mean improvement in air-bone gap was 14 dB (range, -14 to 35 dB). Complications included blockage (16 per cent), perforation after extrusion (9 per cent), granulation (5 per cent) and infection (4 per cent). CONCLUSION: Subannular ventilation tubes provide an effective option for management of intractable middle-ear effusion and eustachian tube dysfunction.

Profuse epistaxis following sphenoid surgery: a ruptured carotid artery pseudoaneurysm and its management.

OBJECTIVE: We report a rare case of iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery secondary to endoscopic sphenoid surgery. METHOD: The management of this unusual complication and a review of the literature are presented. RESULTS: A 65-year-old woman presented with intractable epistaxis four days following endoscopic sphenoid sinus surgery. Initial, conservative measures were unsuccessful in controlling bleeding. The clinical picture of delayed, severe epistaxis after a sphenoid sinus exploration raised the possibility of injury to the internal carotid artery and subsequent formation of a false aneurysm. The patient's pseudoaneurysm was managed, without visualising it, by packing the sphenoid sinus (achieved by palpating 1 cm above the shoulder of the posterior choana) in order to gain control of the haemorrhage, followed by endovascular occlusion. CONCLUSION: An awareness of this rare complication is essential in order to manage this life-threatening condition efficiently.

Advances in management of paranasal sinus aspergillosis.

Surgery remains the treatment of choice for mycetoma of the paranasal sinuses. Itraconazole has a useful role in reducing both the amount of surgery required and the amount of peri-operative bleeding in allergic aspergillosis, and continuing its use post-operatively for six weeks appears to reduce the recurrence rate (although a case-control study is required to validate this observation). In chronic invasive aspergillosis, itraconazole alone appears to be curative, although liver function tests should be monitored and other interactions considered. Imaging is required to monitor resolution; remineralisation occurs after approximately six months. In fulminant aspergillosis, radical surgery and amphotericin B continue to be the treatments of choice. This review discusses the management of aspergillosis of the paranasal sinuses, and in particular the role of itraconazole antifungal therapy.

Endoscopic removal of foreign body from the anterior cranial fossa.

Intracranial foreign bodies are typically removed via a craniotomy, which carries significant peri-operative risks. Nasal endoscopy for removal of intracranial foreign bodies is rare and has been attempted only a few times. Here, we describe a case in which nasal endoscopy was employed to successfully remove an air rifle pellet from the anterior cranial fossa, with subsequent repair of the associated cerebrospinal fistula. We thus advocate nasal endoscopy as an alternate line of management for the removal of foreign bodies from the anterior cranial fossa when possible, due to its significantly lower associated morbidity, provided adequate neurosurgical backup is available if required.

The localization of matrix metalloproteinases-8 and -13 in cholesteatoma, deep-meatal and post-auricular skin: a comparative analysis.

CONCLUSION: The presence of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 and MMP-13 was found to be significantly higher in cholesteatoma compared with post-auricular skin. The results show that the control group used has implications for further studies. OBJECTIVES: To compare the presence of MMP-8 and MMP-13 in cholesteatoma, deep meatal and post-auricular skin. Our null hypothesis was that there was no difference in expressions of MMP-8 and MMP-13 in the three groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out in a secondary care specialist centre and used prospective retrieval of specimens for immunohistological localization of MMP-8 and MMP-13. Eleven patients undergoing cholesteatoma surgery were recruited for the study. Eleven cholesteatoma specimens, 10 deep meatal skin specimens and 10 post-auricular skin specimens were analysed. Specimens were analysed by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies to MMP-8 and MMP-13. Two observers scored the slides independently in a blind fashion. RESULTS: The presence of MMP-8 and MMP-13 was found to be significantly higher in cholesteatoma compared to post-auricular skin (p=0.02, p=0.03, respectively). There were no significant differences in expression of MMP-8 and MMP-13 between cholesteatoma and deep meatal skin (p=0.08, p=0.09, respectively). There were no significant differences in the control groups.

A prospective objective study of the cosmetic sequelae of nasal septal surgery.

CONCLUSIONS: Following nasal septal surgery, minor aesthetic changes may occur in up to 39.5% of patients and major changes in up to 4.5%. As part of the informed consent procedure, the potential for cosmetic changes should be discussed with all patients undergoing nasal septal surgery. OBJECTIVES: To objectively measure aesthetic changes following nasal septal surgery using pre- and post-operative photographic documentation and to highlight issues surrounding informed consent for nasal septal surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study population comprised 75 patients undergoing nasal septal surgery (septoplasty, submucous resection or revision nasal septal surgery). The main outcome measures were measurement of aesthetic changes (tip projection, supra-tip depression and columella retraction) using standardized pre- and post-operative photographic documentation examined by two independent observers. Patients' subjective perception of a change in shape of their nose was assessed using a visual analogue scale. The presence of any septal perforations was recorded at the follow-up visit (mean 15 months, range 8-13 months, standard deviation 4.2 months). RESULTS: The agreement between the two observers was very good when we considered a 1 mm difference as insignificant. Changes were arbitrarily defined as minor if < or =2 mm, and major, if > or =3 mm. With tip projection there was a minor change in 39.5% and major in 4.5% of patients. Supra-tip changes were minor in 6.7% and major in 1.3%. Minor columella changes occurred in 22% of patients, but there were no major changes. There was no statistically significant correlation between patients' subjective perception of changes in the shape of their nose with objectively measured changes. The septal perforation rate was 6.7%. Multivariate analyses (ANCOVA) showed no statistically significant influences of age, gender, grade of surgeon or type of nasal septal procedure.

Facial migraine in a rhinological setting.

This study aims to investigate the incidence of migraine involving the face in a rhinology clinic and to describe its characteristics. It is a study of a cohort of 973 patients consecutively presenting to the outpatient clinic with symptoms of facial pain and/or rhinosinusitis. The study subgroup consisted of patients with facial pain and migraine excluding cluster headache and paroxysmal hemicrania. We studied the features of 51 patients who had facial pain with migraine. The diagnosis was based on the criteria used by the International Headache Society and was also supported by the outcome and response to treatment after a mean of 2 years and 2 months. Of the 973 consecutive patients, 409 (42%) had symptoms of facial pain and/or head pain or pressure. Fifty-one (12%) had migraine. Of these, 39 (76%) had unilateral pain and, in 12 (24%), it was bilateral. The distribution affected the forehead and/or eye or cheek in 32 (63%) patients. Twenty-four (47%) had migraine isolated to the second division of the trigeminal nerve. Twelve per cent of patients attending a rhinology clinic with facial pain had migraine. Of particular interest were the 6% of patients with facial pain who had migraine confined to the second division of the trigeminal nerve. This entity is not widely recognized and has rarely been described in the literature.

Synchronous fat plug myringoplasty and tympanostomy tube removal in the management of refractory otorrhoea in younger patients.

OBJECTIVE: Tympanostomy tubes are associated with many complications, the most common being recurrent otorrhoea, in many cases resistant to medical treatment. With the associated vestibulo-cochlear toxicity of many topical antibiotics, their use is dose limited. Removal of the tympanostomy tube has been shown to cure the otorrhoea, however, it is associated with a high persistent perforation rate of 10-28%. A synchronous fat plug myringoplasty was performed with tube removal in an attempt to reduce the residual perforation rate. METHODS: A retrospective study of 13 consecutive children, nine male and four female, mean age 9.1 years (median=9, range 2-15), with a total of 15 ears (left=6, right=9) had either Shah Tubes (n=5), Shepard Tubes (n=1) or Shah Long Term Tubes (n=9) in-situ for middle ear effusions. The tubes were removed for recurrent otorrhoea. The tubes had been in-situ for a mean of 38.8 months (median=31, range 9-84 months). All ears had recurrent infections, with a variable response to topical antibiotics. All were under the care of one specialist, who performed all the procedures. At the time of tube removal, a standard fat graft myringoplasty was done. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in 15 of the 15 ears, and all perforations had closed by 3 weeks. Pure tone audiometry improved in 11 ears, remained the same in two and worsened in two (0-10 and 11-15 dBA, respectively). There were no complications arising from the procedure. Mean follow up was 13.7 months (median=9, range 3-31). None of the patients have re-perforated, but two have required re-ventilation of their middle ear for middle effusions, and one of these two has also undergone subsequent adeno-tonsillectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience in this small series shows that the removal of a tympanostomy tube for recurrent otorrhoea can be successfully managed with a fat plug myringoplasty, with the benefit of a reduction in the persistent perforation rate following tympanostomy tube removal. It is a simple technique that requires little extra operating time with no significant morbidity.

First case of full-thickness palatal necrotizing sialometaplasia.

Necrotizing sialometaplasia is an uncommon, benign, self-limiting condition which can stimulate malignancy. The commonest site of occurrence is the hard palate. We report the first case with full thickness palatal involvement. The clino-pathological features of this condition are discussed.

Recurrent facial nerve palsy on flying.

We report a case of a patient who experienced transient recurrent facial nerve palsies during flights on commercial aeroplanes. Although this condition is well recognized in divers, only six cases have been reported to occur on flying. The pathophysiology of this condition is discussed.

Primary amyloidosis of the larynx.

Primary laryngeal amyloidosis is a rare benign disease of unknown aetiology. It can present with dysphonia or stridor. A woman presenting with airway compromise, who required a tracheostomy, is reported.

A morphological study of the thoracic duct at the jugulo-subclavian junction.

Chylous fistulae are uncommon but serious complications of neck surgery, occurring with an incidence of 1-3% after radical neck dissection. The majority occur on the left side (75-92%) and are due to damage to the terminal segment of the thoracic duct as it drains into the great veins of the neck in the region of the venous angle. The risk of trauma to the terminal thoracic duct may be influenced by anatomical variations. The macroscopic arrangement of the termination of the thoracic duct in the left neck was examined in 24 UK cadavers. Twenty-one ducts terminated as a single vessel, two ducts showed a bifid termination and one duct had three terminal branches. The precise site of termination was variable. Five thoracic ducts showed branching and reanastamosing patterns prior to their termination, irrespective of the number of terminal branches. Subsidiary cervical lymph trunks were identified in four dissections. These variations are described and their relevance to surgery involving the left side of the neck is discussed.