1/66. Combined transfrontal and endonasal endoscopic surgery of epidural abscess following frontal sinusitis. A case report. A large epidural abscess secondary to frontal sinusitis in a previously healthy 19-year-old man was successfully treated with a small eyebrow incision using combined transfrontal and endonasal endoscopic technique. The abscess was resolved with concomitant pneumatization of the paranasal sinuses. The present case illustrates the promising use of endoscopy in the merging fields of neurosurgery and otorhinolaryngology. ( info) |
In this era of antibiotics, the complications of acute sinusitis are much less frequently encountered. Although orbital complications are most common, intracranial complications carry a high rate of mortality and morbidity. We describe a case of acute frontal sinusitis with subdural empyema and blindness due to cavernous sinus thrombosis and carotid artery thrombosis with a discussion of treatment of these complications and the etiology of blindness in sinusitis. ( info) |
3/66. The endoscopic management of chronic frontal sinusitis associated with frontal sinus posterior table erosion. Expansile inflammatory diseases of the frontal sinuses may produce erosion of the posterior table of the frontal sinus. In these instances, the bone between sinus mucosa and intracranial dura is absent. Over the past decade, endoscopic frontal sinusotomy has emerged as the preferred technique for the treatment of refractory chronic frontal sinusitis. Endoscopic approaches also have a role in the most advanced instances of frontal sinusitis. A retrospective chart review of patients who were treated for frontal sinusitis with erosion of the frontal sinus posterior table was performed. Eight patients were identified. All patients underwent endoscopic frontal sinusotomy; some patients required multiple endoscopic procedures. Complete frontal recess dissection with identification of the frontal ostium was achieved for all involved frontal sinuses. In all cases, this postoperative result was monitored by CT scans (where indicated) and serial nasal endoscopy, which demonstrated good frontal sinus aeration and normal mucociliary clearance. Antibiotics were administered for culture-documented bacterial exacerbations, and systemic steroids were given for management of allergic fungal sinusitis and sinonasal polyposis associated with asthma. No patient underwent frontal sinus obliteration or cranialization. No suppurative intracranial complications were noted during the postoperative period. Endoscopic frontal sinusotomy can be used safely for the definitive management of frontal sinusitis associated with posterior table erosion. In fact, endoscopic techniques may represent the preferred approach for the treatment of this problem. Such an approach avoids the morbidity of more destructive alternatives (such as obliteration), and serves to create a frontal sinus with normal mucociliary clearance. ( info) |
4/66. Pott's puffy tumour: a rare cause of forehead swelling in a child. We report a case of Pott's puffy tumour in a 12-year-old. Owing to the late development of the frontal sinuses, frontal sinus infection in children is rare. When present it can lead to osteomyelitis associated with forehead swelling. early diagnosis and active treatment prevent progression to life-threatening intracranial spread. ( info) |
5/66. Antrolithiasis in the frontal sinus. A very rare case of sinusitis with antrolithiasis in the left frontal sinus of a 63-year-old male patient is reported. Various conservative treatments had no effect on the decrease of his left frontal pain and of postnasal drip. Neither bacteria nor fungus were detected in the discharge. Computed tomographic scanning revealed several high-dense spots in an isodense shadow in the left frontal sinus. At first, endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) was employed and a stony mass was detected in the nasofrontal duct and sinus. Patency of the nasofrontal duct was insured and a sticky paste and small masses were removed as well as possible. However, the flow of discharge from the frontal duct continued after surgery. We performed a second operation with extranasal approach and additional stones in the sinus were successfully removed. Most cases of antrolithiasis are caused by a foreign body or caseous sinusitis with fungus. The maxillary sinus is the most common site of disease in antrolithiasis. It is unknown why the present case of antrolithiasis was in the frontal sinus. In such cases of antrolithiasis or cases having pastelike contents in the frontal sinuses, we conclude that ESS may be an unsuccessful treatment and a classical surgical approach may be required. ( info) |
6/66. Use of computer-aided surgery for frontal sinus ventilation. OBJECTIVES: To review our experience and evaluate the utility of computer-aided surgery for frontal sinus and frontal recess disease. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of 31 consecutive patients undergoing computer-aided surgery for frontal sinus ventilation. methods: The hospital charts of 31 patients were reviewed. Previous sinonasal procedures, etiology of sinonasal disease, preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan findings, preoperative symptoms, endoscopic and intraoperative findings, type of frontal sinus ventilation procedure, complications, imaging system registration method or accuracy, and postoperative course were noted. RESULTS: In all 31 patients the surgery was successfully completed, and no intracranial or orbital complications were encountered during or after surgery. Six patients required additional surgery including revision transnasal endoscopic frontal sinus ventilation or osteoplastic flaps with fat obliteration. In the six cases requiring additional surgery, disease severity, most commonly, aspirin triad disease, predisposed to failure of frontal sinus ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: Computer-aided surgery is a useful adjunctive device for safe, efficient identification and surgery of the frontal sinus. However, it is not a replacement for sound surgical technique, anatomical knowledge, and experience. In particular, patients with aspirin triad disease with frontal recess and frontal sinus involvement are highly suited for computer-aided surgery and thorough removal of disease, although failures occur despite this technique. The long-term benefit of computer-aided surgery of the frontal sinus has not yet been demonstrated by this or other studies. ( info) |
7/66. Headache and the frontal sinus. Frontal headache is a common complaint associated with frontal sinus disease and is often the only complaint. It is also a common location for headache pain in association with other primary and secondary headache disorders. Therefore, the clinician needs to have a thorough understanding of the differential diagnosis of frontal headache pain. This article reviews the causes of frontal pain in association with nasal and sinus pathology and also discusses other headache disorders that can present with similar symptoms. ( info) |
8/66. Perineural spread in a case of sinonasal sarcoidosis: case report. We report a case of sinonasal sarcoidosis with perineural spread along the trigeminal and vidian nerves in which primarily MR imaging but also CT allowed excellent visualization of this infiltration. ( info) |
9/66. Intracranial complications of frontal sinusitis in children: Pott's puffy tumor revisited. The objective of the present study is to describe the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial complications of frontal sinusitis (Pott's puffy tumor) in a series of pediatric patients at our institution. A rare entity, Pott's puffy tumor has been reported in only 21 pediatric cases in the literature of the antibiotic era. The hospital records and radiographic files at Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital, Cleveland, ohio, USA, over the previous 16 years were retrospectively reviewed in a search for patients with the diagnosis of Pott's puffy tumor, defined as scalp swelling and associated intracranial infection. There were 6 male patients and 1 female patient. Ages ranged from 11 to 18 years (median 14.5 years). Intracranial infections consisted of epidural abscess in 5 patients, subdural empyema in 4 and brain abscess in 1. Intraoperative cultures grew anaerobic organisms in 1 patient, microaerophilic streptococcus in 5 patients, klebsiella species in 1 patient and streptococcus pneumoniae in another. All patients presented with frontal scalp swelling, and other common symptoms included headache, fever, nasal drainage and frontal sinus tenderness. Five patients were treated with antibiotics prior to their presentation. Four patients presented with neurologic decompensation characterized by varying degrees of hemiparesis, obtundation, pupillary dilatation or aphasia. All patients underwent craniotomy and evacuation of the intracranial infection. Even severely impaired patients demonstrated full neurologic recovery. Despite the widespread use of antibiotics, neurosurgical complications of sinusitis continue to occur. A high degree of suspicion, along with prompt neurosurgical intervention and the use of appropriate antibiotics, can result in favorable outcomes in even the sickest patients. ( info) |
10/66. Pott's puffy tumor and epidural abscess arising from dental sepsis: a case report. OBJECTIVE: To present an unusual case of two uncommon cranial complications of frontal sinusitis: Pott's puffy tumor and epidural abscess arising from frontal sinusitis of dental origin, and also two systemic complications of sinusitis: septicemia and empyema, all occurring in an immunocompetent patient. STUDY DESIGN: A 21-year-old man presented with a scalp swelling and epidural abscess. magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomographic scans revealed unilateral opacification of the frontal sinus and an epidural abscess with a direct connection to the scalp abscess. Further history revealed that his symptoms occurred coincidentally with a tooth extraction 2 months before, and he was hospitalized soon after the tooth extraction for sepsis and a lung abscess. methods: A combined neurosurgical and otolaryngologic approach was required to treat the sinusitis and the associated epidural and scalp abscess. RESULTS: Cultures returned as streptococcus intermedius from all three sites. The patient was free of disease at the 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Odontogenic maxillary sinusitis is well documented; however, there is little reported of frontal sinusitis arising from dental disease. The prevalence of sinusitis of dental origin will be reviewed, including the microbiology of this particularly virulent organism that persisted despite earlier treatment with ampicillin. Also, the current thoughts on management of these cases will be discussed with particular reference to local therapy for sinusitis in addition to systemic treatment with antibiotics. ( info) |