ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Nasal swab tests are one of the most essential tools for screening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The authors report a rare case of iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak from the anterior skull base after repeated nasal swab tests for COVID-19, which was treated with endoscopic endonasal repair. OBSERVATIONS: A 41-year-old man presented with clear continuous rhinorrhea through his left nostril for 5 days after repeated nasal swabbing for COVID-19. There were no obvious risk factors for spontaneous CSF leak. Computed tomography cisternography showed contrast accumulation in the left olfactory fossa and along the left nasal cavity. Such findings aligned with a preliminary diagnosis of CSF leakage through the left cribriform plate. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the presence of a CSF fistula between his left cribriform plate and superior nasal concha. The patient underwent endoscopic endonasal repair. CSF rhinorrhea ceased after the surgery, and no recurrence was noted during the 12-week postoperative follow-up period. LESSONS: Although rare, iatrogenic CSF leakage can be a serious complication following COVID-19 nasal swab tests, especially when infection may cause significant neurological sequelae. Healthcare providers should become familiar with nasal cavity anatomy and be well trained in performing nasal swab tests.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Providing the standard of care to patients with glioblastoma (GBM) during the novel coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a challenge, particularly if a patient tests positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Further difficulties occur in eloquent cortex tumors because awake speech mapping can theoretically aerosolize viral particles and expose staff. Moreover, microscopic neurosurgery has become difficult because the use of airborne-level personal protective equipment (PPE) crowds the space between the surgeon and the eyepiece. However, delivering substandard care will inevitably lead to disease progression and poor outcomes. OBSERVATIONS: A 60-year-old man with a left insular and frontal operculum GBM was found to be COVID-19 positive. Treatment was postponed pending a negative SARS-CoV-2 result, but in the interim, he developed intratumoral hemorrhage with progressive expressive aphasia. Because the tumor was causing dominant hemisphere language symptomatology, an awake craniotomy was the recommended surgical approach. With the use of airborne-level PPE and a surgical drape to protect the surgeon from the direction of potential aerosolization, near-total gross resection was achieved. LESSONS: Delaying the treatment of patients with GBM who test positive for COVID-19 will lead to further neurological deterioration. Optimal and timely treatment such as awake speech mapping for COVID-19-positive patients with GBM can be provided safely.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In this case report the authors present two female patients with intracranial mucormycosis after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). OBSERVATIONS: The first patient was a 30-year-old woman with no past medical history or allergies who presented with headaches and vomiting. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography of the skull showed an endonasal infection, which had already destroyed the frontal skull base and caused a large frontal intracranial abscess. The second patient was a 29-year-old woman with multiple pre-existing conditions, who was initially admitted to the hospital due to a COVID-19 infection and later developed a hemiparesis of the right side. Here, the MRI scan showed an abscess configuration in the left motor cortex. In both cases, rapid therapy was performed by surgical clearance and abscess evacuation followed by antifungal, antidiabetic, and further supportive treatment for several weeks. LESSONS: Both cases are indicative of a possible correlation of mucormycosis in the setting of severe immunosuppression involved with COVID-19, both iatrogenic with the use of steroids and previous medical history. Furthermore, young and supposedly healthy patients can also be affected by this rare disease.