The effect of endoscopic olfactory cleft polyp removal on olfaction.

BACKGROUND: The presence of olfactory cleft polyps in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis is well documented, but the effect of endoscopic olfactory cleft polyp surgery on olfaction, versus observation, has not been well studied. This analysis assessed if microdebridement of olfactory cleft polyps yields significant objective smell improvements in those with anosmia or hyposmia. METHODS: A randomized prospective single-blinded study was performed on patients undergoing bilateral endoscopic sinus surgery with profound bilateral nasal polyposis, excluding those younger than 18 years or without olfactory polyps. A preoperative University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), visual analog scale (VAS), and sinonasal outcomes 20 score (SNOT-20), and a follow-up at 6 months was performed. Two cohorts were created, including one with cleft polyp removal (group A) and one with cleft polyps left in place (group B). RESULTS: There were 10 patients in group A and 7 in group B. By using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, the two groups were individually analyzed for changes in the preoperative UPSIT, VAS, and SNOT-20 versus the 6-month test results. In group A, the improvement in the UPSIT, VAS, and SNOT-20 were statistically significant at p < 0.05. For group B only the improvement in the VAS was statistically significant, at p < 0.05. There was a statistically significant difference in clinical smell improvement between group A and B at 6 months (p = 0.00512). CONCLUSIONS: Evidence exists that olfactory cleft polyp surgery improves olfactory function outcomes. Long-term data beyond 6 months is needed to further validate these early promising outcomes.

Managing cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea after lateral skull base surgery via endoscopic endonasal eustachian tube closure.

BACKGROUND: A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, commonly presenting as rhinorrhea, is a well-recognized complication of lateral skull base surgery. Failure of conservative treatment measures in these cases necessitates surgical intervention. OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to demonstrate that endoscopic endonasal closure of the eustachian tube is a reasonable alternative to more traditional techniques for management of recalcitrant postoperative CSF rhinorrhea after removal of middle and posterior cranial fossa lesions. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients who presented with CSF rhinorrhea after lateral skull base surgery at a tertiary medical center over a 17-year period, from 1997 to 2014. Nine patients managed with endoscopic endonasal closure of the eustachian tube were evaluated for preoperative hearing status, approach to lateral skull base surgery, pathology, size and location of the tumor, timing and presentation of CSF leak, methods of treatment, length of hospital stay, complications, and success of the procedure. RESULTS: Of the nine patients included in this review, seven were managed successfully with endoscopic endonasal eustachian tube closure. Of those seven, one required a revision procedure. Average length of postoperative stay was 5.8 days. There were no major complications. Follow up of greater than 100 months has been achieved since the first procedure. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic endonasal eustachian tube closure is a safe, minimally invasive and effective method for obliteration of the eustachian tube orifice. The algorithm for management of recalcitrant postoperative CSF rhinorrhea after lateral skull base surgery should include endoscopic endonasal closure of the eustachian tube.

Utility of a rotation-suction microdebrider for tumor removal in endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery.

The microdebrider is a common tool used in endoscopic sinus surgery for removing polypoid and sinonasal tissue. It uses rotating blades and an integrated suction device for controlled removal of tissue under video-endoscopic visualization. To our knowledge, the application of the microdebrider for endoscopic removal of skull base tumors has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the utility of the rotation-suction microdebrider as a tool for endoscopic endonasal removal of solid and fibrous skull base tumors. Thirty-two patients underwent endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery where the rotation-suction microdebrider was used as the primary tool for tumor removal and debulking. Pathologies included a variety of anterior skull base meningiomas, sinonasal skull base malignancies, juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas, schwannomas, and other skull base lesions. Gross total and near total removal was achieved in 87.5% (28/32) of patients, and subtotal removal was performed in 12.5% (4/32) of patients. The microdebrider allowed efficient debulking and removal of solid and fibrous tumors, such as meningiomas, that were not responsive to standard ultrasonic aspiration. There were no complications of orbital or neurovascular injury, or thermal injury to the nostril. The rotation-suction microdebrider is a useful tool for endoscopic endonasal removal of skull base tumors. This is particularly useful for solid and fibrous tumors that are not responsive to standard ultrasonic aspiration. For intracranial tumors, it is critical to remain inside the tumor capsule during debulking so as to avoid injury to the surrounding neurovascular structures.

Safety of cranial fixation in endoscopic brow lifts.

INTRODUCTION: The endoscopic brow lift technique relies on brow mobilization and often soft fixation to the underlying calvarium. While the endoscopic brow lift has been used safely, there are anecdotal reports of cerebrospinal fluid leak. We sought to measure calvarial thickness to improve the safety of cranial fixation. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of T2 weighted MRIs of the face of 28 patients. Calvarial thickness was measured on 10 coronal planes, from 3 centimeters (cm) anterior to 6 cm posterior to coronal suture. Fifteen points were measured on each coronal plane, starting in the midline and extending laterally for 7 cm. There were a total of 150 calvarial measurements per patient, covering the surface area used in endoscopic brow lifts. Statistical comparison was performed using analysis of variance. RESULTS: Cranial thickness ranged from 1.1 to 13.6mm, with a mean of 6.1mm. The skull was thickest 2-4 cm posterior to the coronal suture, and thinnest 1cm anterior to the coronal suture. The cranium thins as it extends laterally, with an average thickness of 5.0mm at seven centimeters from midline. Average skull thickness for males was 5.96 versus 6.16 in females. There was no relationship between age and skull thickness. CONCLUSION: Cranial thickness increases medially and posteriorly, and is larger for females compared with their male counterparts. Given the risk of CSF leak, surgeons need to be aware of how cranial thickness varies by location along the skull.

Case report of a congenital lingual leiomyomatous hamartoma: new epidemiologic findings and a review of the literature.

We present an unusual case of a lingual leiomyomatous hamartoma, along with a current literature review of this previously under reported lesion. Described is a case of a 5 month-old male presenting with a posterior midline tongue mass and surgical excision yielded pathology consistent with a leiomyomatous hamartoma. A comprehensive literature review revealed thirty-nine cases of leiomyomatous hamartomas, a number much greater than previously reported. We conclude that these rare lesions are notably twice as common as previously reported and have equal gender predilection.

Management of hyoid bone fractures: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Fractures of the hyoid bone are rare occurrences. They are mainly caused by strangulation/asphyxiation injuries, trauma to the neck, and motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). As a result of their rarity, proper treatment guidelines are not in place for dealing with these injuries. In this study, a systematic literature review was conducted with the goal of identifying optimal management for patients with fracture of the hyoid bone. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE and PubMed databases. REVIEW METHODS: The MEDLINE and PubMed databases were searched for patients diagnosed with hyoid bone fracture. Further cases were obtained from the bibliographies of relevant articles. Full-text articles were obtained. Patient presentation, method of diagnosis, treatment regimen, and outcomes are discussed. RESULTS: Forty-six cases were collected from 36 articles. No randomized controlled trials regarding treatment of hyoid fractures were found. The most common etiologies were MVA, assault, and neck trauma during athletic activities. Most common presenting symptoms included dysphagia, odynophagia, and pain upon neck rotation. Most frequent presenting signs included anterior neck tenderness and swelling. Five cases out of 46 had surgical repair of the fractured hyoid bone. In the remaining 41 cases, 26 were treated with conservative management, which included rest/observation, diet changes, and analgesia, while the other 15 cases required tracheotomy or surgical treatment for related injuries. All patients survived and had excellent outcomes with resolution of symptoms. CONCLUSION: This review shows that direct surgical treatment of hyoid fractures was performed in only 10.9% of cases. Both conservative and surgical management yielded positive outcomes.

Modified mini-Lothrop/extended Draf IIB procedure for contralateral frontal sinus disease: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Management of frontal sinus disease represents one of the most challenging aspects of endoscopic sinus surgery. In select cases, anatomic variations (outflow tract osteoneogenesis, scarring, fat prolapsed from previous orbital decompression) may hinder ipsilateral access using traditional endoscopic approaches. We previously proposed a modification of the standard Draf IIB procedure which incorporates a frontal intersinus septectomy (modified mini-Lothrop procedure/extended Draf IIB) to access and manage recalcitrant unilateral frontal sinus obstruction inaccessible ipsilaterally in cadaver specimens. In this study, we describe this technique, and present a case series of 4 patients who benefited from this approach. METHODS: A retrospective analysis at a large tertiary referral center was performed on all patients undergoing frontal sinus surgery between July 2008 and June 2011. Four patients with frontal sinus recess obstruction inaccessible from the ipsilateral side and treated with the modified mini-Lothrop procedure/extended Draf IIB were identified. RESULTS: All 4 patients underwent successful frontal sinusotomies via a Modified mini-Lothrop procedure/extended Draf IIB without complications and had a patent drainage pathway assessed endoscopically after a mean follow-up of 21 (range, 9-28) months. CONCLUSION: The modified mini-Lothrop procedure/extended Draf IIB represents a feasible approach and adequate alternative to more traditional endoscopic and open frontal sinus procedures in select cases. This modification was successful in addressing difficult to access unilateral frontal sinus disease in this small cohort.

Efficacy of the pedicled nasoseptal flap without cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion for repair of skull base defects: incidence of postoperative CSF leaks.

BACKGROUND: The advances in endoscopic skull base surgery have led to the resection of increasingly larger cranial base lesions and the creation of larger skull base defects with the potential for increased postoperative high-flow cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. These concerns led to the development of the vascularized pedicled nasoseptal flap (PNSF), which is now used as the mainstay for repair of large skull base defects in many academic centers. In this report, we review the incidence of postoperative CSF leaks in our institution in patients undergoing endoscopic skull base repair of high-flow CSF leaks with a vascularized PNSF without concurrent CSF diversion. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis at our tertiary care medical center on patients who underwent endoscopic repair of high-flow CSF leaks using a PNSF without CSF diversion between July 2008 and August 2011. Repair materials, incidence of postoperative CSF leaks, and demographic data were collected. RESULTS: Fifty-nine high-flow CSF leaks were repaired with a PNSF and other repair materials, without the use of lumbar catheter drainage. No postoperative CSF leak occurred in this cohort of patients. The overall postoperative CSF leak rate was 0%. CONCLUSION: Meticulous multilayer-closure of skull base defects is critical to prevent postoperative CSF leaks. Although lumbar drainage may be useful in select scenarios, it carries inherent risks of intracranial hypotension and pneumocephalus, and may not be necessary for routine management of high-flow CSF leaks in conjunction with a robust PNSF. Further prospective randomized controlled studies may be warranted to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative lumbar drainage.

Nasoseptal flap repair after endoscopic transsellar versus expanded endonasal approaches: is there an increased risk of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak?

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The development of expanded endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) has allowed resection of cranial-base lesions beyond the sella. One major criticism is an increased risk of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage because of the larger skull base defect. We evaluated our experience with vascularized pedicled nasoseptal flap (PNSF) reconstruction and compared the postoperative CSF leak rates between patients undergoing endoscopic transsphenoidal (transsellar) approaches versus expanded EEA (transplanum-transtuberculum, transcribriform, transclival). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis at a tertiary care medical center. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospective database was performed on patients who underwent PNSF reconstruction for intraoperative high-flow CSF leaks after EEA between December 2008 and August 2011. Demographic data, repair materials, surgical approach, and incidence of postoperative CSF leaks were collected. RESULTS: Thirty-seven transsellar defects (group I) were repaired with a PNSF, and 32 expanded EEA defects (19 transplanum-transtuberculum, 10 transcribriform, three transclival) (group II) were repaired with a PNSF. No postoperative CSF leaks occurred in group I. One delayed postoperative CSF leak was encountered in group II leading to a 3.1% leak rate in that group. The incidence of postoperative CSF leakage was not significantly different between the two groups (P > .05). Our overall success rate in this series using a PNSF was 98.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our data, there is no significant increased risk of postoperative CSF leak between transsellar and expanded EEA defects when a PNSF is used. The potential risk of postoperative CSF leaks associated with larger defects created through expanded EEA can be minimized by multilayered closure with a PNSF and meticulous surgical technique.

Endoscopic nasoseptal flap repair of skull base defects: is addition of a dural sealant necessary?

OBJECTIVE: We compared the incidence of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks in patients undergoing endoscopic skull base repair with a pedicled nasoseptal flap (PNSF) with or without the addition of a dural sealant. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective analysis at a tertiary care medical center. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed at our tertiary care medical center on patients who underwent endoscopic repair of high-flow CSF leaks using a PNSF between December 2008 and August 2011. Repair materials, incidence of postoperative CSF leaks, and demographic data were collected. RESULTS: Thirty-two high-flow CSF leaks were repaired with a PNSF alone without dural sealant (group A), and 42 were repaired with a PNSF with the addition of a dural sealant (group B). In group A, there were no postoperative CSF leaks (0%), whereas in group B, there was 1 delayed postoperative CSF leak, resulting in a 2.4% leak rate. The incidence of postoperative CSF leakage was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P = .38). The overall postoperative CSF leak rate was 1.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The use of dural sealants when performing endoscopic PNSF repair of high-flow CSF leaks is not supported by our data. In addition, this practice may significantly increase surgical cost. We encountered no postoperative CSF leaks in patients with high-flow CSF leaks treated with PNSF alone without dural sealants. Meticulous surgical technique and proper positioning of the PNSF seem to obviate the need for dural sealants during endoscopic skull base reconstruction of high-flow CSF leaks.

Thymopharyngeal duct cyst: a case presentation and literature review.

The differential diagnosis of a lateral cystic neck mass includes branchial cleft cysts and lymphangiomas. Cervical thymic cysts are rare, and thymopharyngeal duct cysts, which maintain a connection to the pharynx, are rarer still. We present an interesting case of a 6 year-old male who developed acute onset of a left-sided neck mass. CT and MRI findings revealed a multiloculated cyst closely associated with the left lobe of the thyroid gland with a tract extending up along the carotid sheath to the pyriform sinus. Complete surgical excision was performed. The anatomic location and pathology were consistent with a thymopharyngeal duct cyst. The embryology, clinical presentation, radiologic and pathologic findings, and surgical management of thymopharyngeal duct cysts will be discussed.