Development of Chronic Sphenoid Sinusitis After Sellar Reconstruction with Medpor Porous Polyethylene Implant

OBJECTIVE

The Medpor porous polyethylene implant is reported to be safe and effective for sellar reconstruction after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS). However, we have observed several cases of delayed chronic sphenoid sinusitis related to the implant. The purpose of this study is to describe the presentation and management of implant-related sphenoid sinusitis after sellar reconstruction.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent endonasal TSS with Medpor sellar reconstruction between December 2008 and January 2013 at a tertiary care institution. Patient demographics, initial surgical management, sinonasal symptoms, postoperative imaging, sinusitis management, and resulting outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

From 2008-2013, 139 patients underwent sellar reconstruction using Medpor. Five patients (3.6%) presented between 8 and 60 months after surgery with chronic sphenoid sinusitis that required surgical management. All 5 patients presented as outpatients for management of headaches and nasal drainage, 4 patients experienced chronic nasal congestion, and 3 patients noted recurrent sinusitis. At the time of revision surgery, all 5 patients were found to have mucosal inflammation and edema surrounding the implant, and 4 of the 5 had an exposed or partially extruded implant that was removed.

CONCLUSIONS

Reconstruction of the sellar floor may be performed after TSS to prevent postoperative complications. Although porous polyethylene implants have previously been described as safe and effective for this purpose, surgeons should be aware of the risk of subsequent implant extrusion and chronic sphenoid sinusitis that can occur in a delayed manner.

Implementation of Free Mucosal Graft Technique for Sellar Reconstruction After Pituitary Surgery: Outcomes of 158 Consecutive Patients

BACKGROUND

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a common complication after surgeries involving sellar reconstruction. Various techniques, including the nasoseptal flap, have been developed to limit postoperative CSF leak. However, the nasoseptal flap causes complications owing to donor site morbidity. A free mucosal graft may be just as effective in reducing CSF leaks as well as reducing postoperative nasal discomfort. This study aimed to assess operative outcomes of free mucosal graft after pituitary resection.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed for patients who underwent endoscopic endonasal resection of pituitary adenomas. The following data were collected: demographic data, intraoperative CSF leak, postoperative CSF leak, other complications, and mucosal graft healing at 1 month. Also, the Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 was administered preoperatively and 1 month and 3 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

Charts of 158 patients were reviewed, including patients who underwent no mucosal reconstruction, free mucosal graft reconstruction, and nasoseptal flap reconstruction. There was a 7.4% postoperative CSF leak rate in patients who underwent no reconstruction (n = 27), whereas postoperative CSF leak rate was 0.82% in patients undergoing free mucosal graft reconstruction (n = 122) (P < 0.05). Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 scores for patients with free mucosal graft reconstruction showed no significant worsening postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

The free mucosal graft is a simple and effective means of sellar reconstruction in patients undergoing endonasal endoscopic pituitary resection, and its efficacy is similar to nasoseptal flaps. The free mucosal graft technique does not worsen sinonasal morbidity postoperatively.

Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea following transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma: experience in a Chinese centre

The aim of this study was to elucidate the risk factors for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea following transsphenoidal surgery and discuss its prevention and treatments. We retrospectively reviewed 474 consecutive cases of pituitary adenoma treated with 485 transsphenoidal surgical procedures from January 2008 to December 2011 in our department. We analysed the incidence of intra- and post-operative CSF leakage and outcomes of various repair strategies. Intra-operative CSF leakage was encountered in 85 cases (17.9%), and post-operative CSF rhinorrhoea in 13 cases (2.7%). Seven of the 13 patients with post-operative CSF rhinorrhoea did not experience intra-operative CSF leakage; three of these patients had adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting adenomas. Of the remaining 6 patients with both intra- and post-operative CSF leakage, 2 were treated for giant invasive prolactinomas, and 2 had previously undergone transsphenoidal surgery. In eight patients, the leak was resolved by lumbar puncture, lumbar external drainage, resting in a semi-reclining position, or other conservative treatment. Two CSF leaks were repaired with gelatine foam and fibrin glue using a transsphenoidal approach, and two with autologous fat graft and sellar floor reconstruction using a transnasal endoscopic approach. After undergoing two transnasal endoscopic repairs, one patient with post-operative CSF rhinorrhoea was successfully treated by further lumbar subarachnoid drainage. In conclusion, procedures using gelatine foam, fibrin glue and autologous fat graft are common and effective techniques for the management of CSF rhinorrhoea after transsphenoidal surgery. When a CSF leak is detected during transsphenoidal surgery, thorough sellar reconstruction and long-term follow-up are necessary.

Transsphenoidal pituitary surgery: comparison of two sellar reconstruction techniques and their effect on postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage

Transsphenoidal surgery is a common procedure in patients with pituitary adenomas. Several techniques have been previously postulated to achieve sufficient sellar reconstruction to avoid cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage. We analyzed our institutional database concerning two sellar reconstruction techniques and development of postoperative CSF leakage. From 2009 to 2015, 255 patients underwent transsphenoidal pituitary surgery at our institution. According to the technique used for sellar reconstruction, patients were divided into two groups: (1) with muscle patch and fibrin glue and (2) with fibrin glue alone. Postoperative CSF leakage occurred in 7% of the patients. Occurrence of postoperative CSF leakage did not differ significantly between both sellar reconstruction techniques (p = 0.2). Patients who underwent sellar reconstruction with fibrin glue alone had significantly shorter operating time (p < 0.0001), as well as shorter length of hospital stay (p = 0.01). On multivariate analysis, occurrence of intraoperative CSF leakage was the only predictor for postoperative CSF leakage (p < 0.0001). The present data suggests that sellar reconstruction after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery seems to be equally effective in preventing postoperative CSF leakage. However, the use of fibrin glue alone results in shorter hospital stay and operating time without exposing patients to more frequent CSF leakage.

Optimizing Sellar Reconstruction After Pituitary Surgery with Free Mucosal Graft: Results from the First 50 Consecutive Patients

BACKGROUND

Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak after endoscopic pituitary surgery ranges from 1.9% to 10% in different series. Vascularized flaps have reduced the incidence of leak; however, this carries nasal morbidity. This study presents a technique for sellar reconstruction with free mucosal graft from the nasal cavity floor including inferior meatus mucosa. This technique aims to standardize sellar reconstruction without the use of the nasoseptal flap and to keep the advantage of mucosal coverage of the defect in all cases.

METHODS

Fifty consecutive patients who had endoscopic surgery for pituitary tumors and reconstruction with nasal cavity floor free mucosal graft were retrospectively reviewed. There were a total of 50 patients with postoperative follow-up from 3 to 16 months. Collagen dural graft was used inlay and free mucosal graft overlay to cover the sellar defect. No fat grafts or lumbar drains were used. A Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) was performed before, 1 and 3 months after surgery.

RESULTS

There were 40% detected intraoperative leaks and no postoperative leaks. Nasal endoscopy performed at 1 month follow-up showed complete healing of the graft to the skull base and near total or complete mucosalization of the donor site. No significant difference was found in the SNOT-22 comparing the total preoperative and 1-month scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The nasal cavity floor free mucosal graft is an easy and safe technique, with minimal nasal morbidity. There were no postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks, despite aggressive tumor resection. No lumbar drains or fat graft were used. The harvest of mucosal graft does not worsen the quality of life measured with the SNOT-22 test.

Application of atelocollagen sheet for sellar reconstruction

We aimed to evaluate combined use of atelocollagen sheet and fibrin glue for sellar reconstruction. Experiment 1: A plastic chamber was prepared with a hydroxyapatite lid with a hole of 10mm in diameter at its center, covered with a Gore-Tex sheet (W.L. Gore & Associates, Tokyo, Japan) 15mm in diameter and sealed with a combination of fibrin glue sealant and either atelocollagen sheet or polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheet. Air was injected into the chamber and the pressure at which air leakage occurred was measured under each situation. Mean (±standard deviation) leakage pressure was 816±162mmH2O for atelocollagen sheet (n=5), significantly higher than the 557±130mmH2O for PGA sheet (n=5, p<0.05, Wilcoxon test). Experiment 2: Bilateral 5mm bone windows were made in the temporal bone in eight rats. The surgical cavities were filled with one of four materials (fibrin glue only; fibrin glue and atelocollagen sheet; PGA sheet; or autologous fat tissue). Histological changes including the status of implanted materials and inflammatory responses were investigated 2 and 5weeks after the procedures. Both atelocollagen and PGA sheets remained at 5weeks after implantation, whereas fibrin glue and fat tissue were absorbed and undetectable at 2weeks. Inflammatory cell accumulation was less around the atelocollagen sheet compared to the PGA sheet. The combination of atelocollagen sheet and fibrin glue sealant showed sufficient adhesion force and favorable tissue affinity, suggesting this combination as a feasible material in sellar reconstruction.

Application of atelocollagen sheet for sellar reconstruction

We aimed to evaluate combined use of atelocollagen sheet and fibrin glue for sellar reconstruction. Experiment 1: A plastic chamber was prepared with a hydroxyapatite lid with a hole of 10mm in diameter at its center, covered with a Gore-Tex sheet (W.L. Gore & Associates, Tokyo, Japan) 15mm in diameter and sealed with a combination of fibrin glue sealant and either atelocollagen sheet or polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheet. Air was injected into the chamber and the pressure at which air leakage occurred was measured under each situation. Mean (±standard deviation) leakage pressure was 816±162mmH2O for atelocollagen sheet (n=5), significantly higher than the 557±130mmH2O for PGA sheet (n=5, p<0.05, Wilcoxon test). Experiment 2: Bilateral 5mm bone windows were made in the temporal bone in eight rats. The surgical cavities were filled with one of four materials (fibrin glue only; fibrin glue and atelocollagen sheet; PGA sheet; or autologous fat tissue). Histological changes including the status of implanted materials and inflammatory responses were investigated 2 and 5weeks after the procedures. Both atelocollagen and PGA sheets remained at 5weeks after implantation, whereas fibrin glue and fat tissue were absorbed and undetectable at 2weeks. Inflammatory cell accumulation was less around the atelocollagen sheet compared to the PGA sheet. The combination of atelocollagen sheet and fibrin glue sealant showed sufficient adhesion force and favorable tissue affinity, suggesting this combination as a feasible material in sellar reconstruction.

Clinical efficacy of radiation-sterilized allografts for sellar reconstruction after transsphenoidal surgery

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of radiation-sterilized allografts of iliac bone and fascia lata from cadaver specimens to repair skull base defects after transsphenoidal surgery.

METHODS

Between May 2009 and January 2010, 31 consecutive patients underwent endonasal transsphenoidal surgery and all patients received sellar reconstruction using allografts following tumor removal. The allografts were obtained from the local tissue bank and harvested from cadaver donors. The specimens used in our approach were tensor fascia lata and the flat area of iliac bone. For preparation, allografts were treated with gamma irradiation after routine screening by culture, and then stored at -70℃.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up period after surgery was 12.6 months (range, 7.4-16 months). Overall, postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks occurred in three patients (9.7%) and postoperative meningitis in one patient (3.2%). There was no definitive evidence of wound infection at the routine postoperative follow-up examination or during re-do surgery in three patients. Postoperative meningitis in one patient was improved with the use of antibiotics and prolonged CSF diversion.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that allograft materials can be a feasible alternative to autologous tissue grafts for sellar reconstruction following transsphenoidal surgery under selected circumstances such as no or little intraoperative CSF leaks.