Characteristics and Management of Facial Nerve Schwannomas and Hemangiomas

OBJECTIVES

To characterize facial nerve (FN) schwannomas (FNSs) and FN hemangiomas (FNHs) and their clinical features and management strategies, and to describe the results of cable nerve grafting after FN sectioning during tumor removal.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 84 FNS cases and 42 FNH cases managed between July 1989 and July 2020 at a quaternary referral center for skull base pathology. Clinical details, locations, management, and results of cable nerve grafting at 1 year and during an average period of 3.12 years were evaluated. Sural nerve interpositioning was performed for patients who experienced FN paralysis for less than 1 year and underwent nerve sectioning during tumor removal.

RESULTS

FNSs more often involved multiple segments compared with FNHs. The cerebellopontine angle and the mastoid segments were involved in 16 (19.1%) and 34 (40.5%) FNS cases, respectively; however, the cerebellopontine angle and the mastoid segments were involved in 0 and 7 (16.7%) FNH cases, respectively. Sectioned nerves of 99 patients (78.6%) were restored using interposition cable grafting. At the last follow-up evaluation, 56.3% of FNSs and 60.7% of FNHs attained House-Brackmann (HB) grade III. Lower preoperative HB grades were associated with poorer postoperative outcomes. For FNSs, the mean HB grades were 4.13 at 1 year postoperatively and 3.75 at the last follow-up evaluation ( p = 0.001); however, for FNHs, the mean HB grades were 4.04 postoperatively and 3.75 at the last follow-up evaluation. Therefore, extradural coaptation yielded better outcomes.

CONCLUSION

FNSs can occur along any part of the FN along its course, and FNHs are concentrated around the area of geniculate ganglion. The results of cable inter positioning grafts are better in patients with preoperative FN-HB-III or less when compared with higher grades. The outcome of the interpositioning continues to improve even after 1 year in extradural coaptation.

Myiasis in Neglected Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: Review of Management and Current Protocol Recommendations

OBJECTIVE

To propose a first-aid management protocol for myiasis in neglected cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the ED based on a recent literature review.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed.

STUDY SELECTION

Inclusion criteria were all series and case reports of primary/secondary cutaneous SCC with myiasis of the head and neck, including orbital SCC cases, published after 2005.

DATA EXTRACTION

A total of 14 articles including 15 patients were included.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Demographics, socioeconomic situation, site of the lesion, larvae species with bacterial suprainfection, and first-aid treatment options were discussed. Two representative cases are described.

CONCLUSIONS

Large, ulcerated, necrotic, myiasis-burdened SCC lesions in the head and neck area present a challenge for treatment, and to date, no consensus regarding first-aid management exists. The authors' proposed four-pillar first-aid management scheme may be a valid option to rapidly improve wound condition through disinfection, pain relief, and malodor and discharge eradication as a bridge to surgery.

Inferior Turbinate Reduction: Diode LASER or Conventional Partial Turbinectomy?

Hypertrophy of inferior nasal turbinate is one of the most common causes for nasal obstruction (NO). As diode laser has proven to be as effective as any other lasers, our objective was to study various primary outcomes of its use of diode laser like improvement in NO, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative pain, and rapidity of healing. The study was undertaken to compare the various outcomes by diode laser turbinate reduction (LTR) and conventional partial inferior turbinectomy (PIT). A nonrandomized controlled trial was conducted on 2 groups: One group (30 cases) underwent LTR and PIT was performed in the other group (30 cases). The improvement in NO was measured postoperatively up to 6 months. Intraoperative bleeding was measured and postoperative pain scores were assessed each day up to fifth postoperative day. Lastly, rapidity of healing was evaluated until 6 months. Subjective relief of NO was 90.8% in LTR group, whereas it was 65% in PIT group at 6-month follow-up, which was statistically significant (P < .05). Pain scores were higher until 5 days in PIT group compared to LTR group (P = .0001). Intraoperative bleeding mean scores (milliliters) were 8.03 in LTR group compared to 23.29 in PIT group (P = .00001). Rapidity of healing was faster in LTR group with mean scores of 3.03 weeks in comparison to PIT group where it was 6.33 weeks (P = .00001). Compared to the conventional technique, the outcomes were better with diode laser and caused less morbidity.

"Large and giant vestibular schwannomas: overall outcomes and the factors influencing facial nerve function"

(1) To study the overall outcomes of patients surgically treated for large/giant vestibular schwannomas (VSs) and (2) to identify and analyze preoperative and intraoperative prognostic factors influencing facial nerve (FN) outcome. A retrospective clinical study was conducted at a quaternary referral otology and skull-base center. A total of 389 cases were enrolled. The inclusion criteria were patients with tumor > 30 mm undergoing surgery with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Neurofibromatosis-II, previous radiotherapy, revision surgeries, preoperative FN House-Brackmann (HB) grade > I, partial resections, incomplete records, or those lost to follow-up for a minimum period of 1 year were excluded. In addition, partial resections and cases where FN was sacrificed intraoperatively were also excluded and were analyzed separately. The mean duration of symptoms was 35.4 months, pronounced more in elderly (58.3 months) than in younger individuals (28.4 months). Mean tumor diameter was 36 mm and 52.7% was cystic. Total resection (TR), near total resection (NTR), and subtotal resections (STR) were achieved in 77.4%, 9.5%, and 13.2% of cases, respectively. Regrowth was observed only after STR (19.6%). Good (HB I-II), moderate (HB III), and poor (HB IV-VI) FN functions were observed in 36.8%, 51.7%, and 11.6% cases, respectively. Younger individuals underwent TR in 259 (86.9%) cases against 42 (46.2%) in elderly individuals. Non-total resections (NTR/STR) were performed in 49 (53.8%) cases in elderly as against 39(13.1%) in younger individuals. Good FN outcome was observed in 28 (57.1%) cases of non-total resections in elderly as against 13 (33.3%) cases in younger individuals. On multiple logistic regression analysis, size of the tumor, preoperatively prolonged duration of symptoms, profound deafness, and antero-superiorly located FN with respect to the tumor played a detrimental role in the final facial nerve outcome postoperatively. On the contrary, in large tumors (3-3.9 cm), presence of vertigo/disequilibrium had a relatively better impact on final FN outcome. Partial resections accounted for 41(7.8%) cases and FN was interrupted in 71(13.6%) cases in total. Factors detrimental to better FN outcome were giant VSs (> 4 cm), antero-superiorly located FN intratumorally, preoperatively prolonged duration of symptoms, and profound deafness. In large tumors (3-3.9 cm), presence of vertigo/disequilibrium had a better impact on FN outcome. Understandably, cases with TR in comparison with NTR/STR had worse FN outcomes. In comparison with younger patients, elderly patients underwent higher NTR/STR resulting in better FN outcomes. The above factors can be used as prognosticators for patient counseling and surgical decision making.

Surgical Management of Intrinsic Tumors of the Facial Nerve

BACKGROUND

Intrinsic tumors of the facial nerve are a rare entity. Dealing with this subset of tumors is challenging both in terms of decision making and surgical intervention.

OBJECTIVE

To review the outcomes of surgical management of facial nerve tumors and cable nerve graft interpositioning.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed at a referral center for skull base pathology. One hundred fifteen patients who were surgically treated for facial nerve tumors were included. In case of nerve interruption during surgery, the cable nerve interpositioning technique was employed wherein the facial nerve palsy lasted for less than 1-yr duration. In cases of facial nerve palsy lasting for greater than 1 yr, the nerve was restituted by a hypoglossal facial coaptation.

RESULTS

Various degrees of progressive paralysis were seen in 84 (73%) cases. Sixty nine (60%) of the tumors involved multiple segments of the facial nerve. Sixty-two (53.9%) tumors involved the geniculate ganglion. Seventy four (64.3%) of the cases were schwannomas. Hearing preservation surgeries were performed in 60 (52.1%). Ninety one (79.1%) of the nerves that were sectioned in association with tumor removal were restituted primarily by interposition cable grafting. The mean preoperative House-Brackmann grading of the facial nerve was 3.6. The mean immediate postoperative grading was 5.4, which recovered to a mean of 3.4 at the end of 1 yr.

CONCLUSION

In patients with good facial nerve function (House-Brackmann grade I-II), a wait-and-scan approach is recommended. In cases where the facial nerve has been interrupted during surgery, the cable nerve interpositioning technique is a convenient and well-accepted procedure for immediate restitution of the nerve.

Rapidly growing cystic vestibular schwannoma with sudden onset facial palsy, ten years after subtotal excision

An elderly male patient diagnosed with a right-sided cystic vestibular schwannoma (CVS) at our center underwent a translabyrinthine approach with a subtotal excision to preserve the facial nerve (FN). The tumor grew slowly for the first 9 years but in the subsequent 2 years grew rapidly, with the patient developing a FN paralysis. Using the previous approach, a second surgery was done and the tumor was excised, leaving behind a sheath of tumor on the facial and lower cranial nerves. This case demonstrates that CVSs show unpredictable growth patterns and need to be followed up for a longer period of time. Laryngoscope, 128:1649-1652, 2018.

Atrophic rhinitis presenting with ethmoidal mucocele: a case report

Atrophic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic debilitating nasal mucosal disease predominantly prevalent in tropical countries. In the present case a 70-year-old female presented with a swelling in the right medial canthal area for six months and had features of Atrophic rhinitis with large septal perforation leading to saddle nose deformity. Computed tomography pictures were suggestive of ethmoidal mucocele and was later decompressed endoscopically. The sequelae and complications of AR like nasal septal perforation, saddle nose deformity, chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), local and systemic spread of infection, atrophic pharyngitis, laryngitis, dacryocystitis and nasal myiasis have been reported in literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of AR presenting with ethmoidal mucocele. A case of AR with CRS is to be treated with caution as it can lead to complications as it is often neglected.