Endonasal endoscopic resection of ossifying fibroma involving the ethmoid sinus, orbit and anterior skull base: case report and literature review

Ossifying fibroma is a benign fibro-osseous tumour that rarely involves the ethmoid sinuses and orbit. It is classified as a benign fibroosseous lesion, a term that is synonymous with a variety of lesions reported in the literature. Recurrence rate with deleterious effects in cases of extramandibular ossifying fibroma is the impetus for open en bloc resection of the tumour. Continuously evolving techniques in endonasal endoscopic sinus surgery has rendered resection of large benign sinonasal and cephalonasal tumours possible. The authors report a case of ossifying fibroma involving the ethmoid sinus, orbit and anterior skull base in a 65-year-old previously healthy woman completely resected by endonasal endoscopic sinus surgery. The patient was free from postoperative complications and was dismissed from hospital on the sixth postoperative day. At present, the patient is disease-free at a regular five-year postoperative follow-up. Endonasal endoscopic resection of sinonasal ossifying fibromas is an excellent therapeutic option when performed by a surgeon experienced in endoscopic sinonasal surgery. The advantages of an endonasal endoscopic approach include direct visualization, enhanced visibility and magnification resulting in decreased intraoperative and postoperative morbidity. Aesthetic outcome is excellent in the absence of facial scars.

A biofilm exists on healthy mucosa of the paranasal sinuses: a prospectively performed, blinded, scanning electron microscope study

OBJECTIVES

Based on our hypothesis that biofilm is nothing else but normal, otherwise abundantly colonised mucosal mucous blanket, the aim of this study was to check out whether bacterial biofilm exists exclusively at the diseased mucosal surfaces or at healthy mucosa of paranasal sinuses as well.

DESIGN

Prospective and blinded.

SETTING

Tertiary academic hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

The patients suffering from the diseases not related to the chronic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Mucosal tissue samples from healthy sphenoid sinuses were taken from 48 patients who underwent pituitary gland surgery and from ethmoidal sinuses mucosa of the 17 patients who underwent endonasal endoscopic orbital decompression because of Graves' disease.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The samples were submitted blindly along with similar samples from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis to two scanning electron microscope experts. In all samples the looked for the main signs of biofilm presence of: the 'towers', rod-shaped bacteria and water channels.

RESULTS

Signs of biofilm presence were found in 45 out of 48 pituitary gland surgery patients (94%) and in all of 17 EEOD patients (100%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed the presence of the biofilm at the surface of the healthy mucosa of the paranasal sinuses. This suggests that perhaps so called bacterial biofilm is nothing else but regular respiratory mucosal blanket, a part of the mucociliary system itself, containing a great number of bacteria.

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis: sources and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Abscesses of the peritonsillar region are among the most common deep abscesses of the head and neck. However, cervical necrotizing fasciitis (CNF) associated with a peritonsillar abscess is an extremely rare condition, with only 12 well-documented cases described.

PATIENTS

We reviewed and compared all 12 cases of CNF arising from peritonsillar abscesses, including our own case. CNF that developed after peritonsillar abscesses was also compared with that developing predominantly after odontogenic infection.

RESULTS

The overall mortality was higher in the group with peritonsillar abscesses (33% vs 25%).

CONCLUSION

It is probable that of all cases of CNF, that arising from peritonsillar abscess has the worst prognosis.

Necrotizing fasciitis after peritonsillar abscess in an immunocompetent patient

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis (CNF) is a rapidly progressive, severe bacterial infection of the fascial planes of the head and neck. Group A beta haemolytic Streptococcus spp. (GABHS), Staphylococcus spp., or obligatory anaerobic bacteria are the most common causative pathogens. The disease usually results from a dental source or facial trauma. Extensive fascial necrosis and severe systemic toxicity are common manifestations of CNF. Review of the literature reveals only seven such cases, with four successful outcomes. The authors present the case of a 50-year-old immunocompetent female with CNF arising from a peritonsillar abscess. Intravenous immunoglobulins in conjunction with surgery and antibiotics were used successfully. The authors also suggest the importance of the early diagnosis, aggressive surgical debridement, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and possible usefulness of the intravenous immunoglobulins in the treatment of CNF, especially when the disease is associated with toxic shock syndrome.

[Post-streptococcal reactive arthritis: diagnostic problems]

The authors present clinical, microbiological and scintigraphic findings in eight children with poststreptococcal reactive arthritis, hospitalized in the Zadar General Hospital from 1990 to 1992. In all patients an antecedent throat infection was noticed, 7-10 days before the first symptoms and signs of arthritis developed. Antistreptolysin O microtitration and/or throat culture revealed streptococcal infection in all patients. Scintigraphic examination with Te-99m yielded four positive (50%) results. In the follow-up one of the positive scans was later suggestive of tumorous process. The authors conclude that accurate diagnosis of poststreptococcal reactive arthritis depends on microbiological identification of streptococcal infection and longitudinal clinical follow-up in which scintigraphy may be of differential diagnostic benefit.