Nasoseptal flap takedown and reuse in revision endoscopic skull base reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To provide a description of the techniques and limitations of nasoseptal flap takedown and reuse during second-stage and revision endoscopic skull base surgery and review the institutional experience with the use of this reconstructive technique. STUDY DESIGN: : Case series. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak outcomes was performed for a consecutive series of patients who underwent the nasoseptal flap takedown technique during endoscopic skull base surgery at two tertiary care skull base centers. RESULTS: Twenty-eight consecutive cases with nasoseptal flap takedown procedures for endoscopic skull base reconstruction were collected and evaluated for flap viability and CSF leak outcomes. This cohort was composed of 14 revision surgeries and 14 planned second-stage procedures. There were no cases of flap loss. Twenty cases involved the presence of intraoperative CSF leaks. Twelve of these 20 cases were second-stage surgeries, and eight were revision or recurrent-tumor procedures. Nineteen of 20 had successful skull base reconstruction without a postoperative CSF leak. One patient required revision endoscopic CSF leak repair and bolstering of the defect with a fat graft 3 days after the initial surgery. Endoscopic skull base reconstructive techniques and limitations of flap takedowns are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Expansion of the limits of endoscopic skull base surgery must be accompanied by the development of new reconstructive options. This report illustrates the ability to take down and reuse the nasoseptal flap in staged and revision cases with a high success rate and minimal additional nasal morbidity.

Quality of life following endonasal skull base surgery.

The importance of quality of life (QOL) outcomes following treatments for head and neck tumors are now increasingly appreciated and measured to improve medical and surgical care for these patients. An understanding of the definitions in the setting of health care and the use of appropriate QOL instruments and measures are critical to obtain meaningful information that guides decision making in various aspects of patient health care. QOL outcomes following cranial base surgery is only recently being defined. In this article, we describe the current published data on QOL outcomes following cranial base surgery and provide preliminary prospective data on QOL outcomes and sinonasal morbidity in patients who underwent endonasal cranial base surgery for management of various skull base tumors at our institution. We used a disease-specific multidimensional instrument to measure QOL outcomes in these patients. Our results show that although sinonasal morbidity is increased, this is temporary, and the vast majority of patients have a very good QOL by 4 to 6 months after endonasal approach to the cranial base.

Endonasal surgery of the ventral skull base--endoscopic transcranial surgery.

Skull base surgery is evolving from traditional transfacial and transcranial approaches to the endoscopic endonasal approach, a less intrusive corridor for accessing the ventral skull base. This technique eliminates facial scars, expedites recovery, and obviates brain retraction. The goals of surgical excision, whether palliative or curative, are identical: an approach that is less disruptive to normal tissues. By exploiting the sinonasal corridor, the entire ventral skull base may be accessed to successfully treat benign and malignant lesions. The expanding limits of endoscopic skull base surgery have been accompanied by commensurate innovations in reconstructive techniques that are reliable and have been shown to limit postoperative complications. This article describes the basis for this approach and provides the latest outcome data supporting the current state of the art for endoscopic skull base surgery.

Adequacy of surgeon-performed ultrasound-guided thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of specimens obtained by a surgeon performing office-based ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of thyroid nodules. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From 2003 to 2006, a single surgeon performed 447 consecutive office-based US-guided FNABs without on-site cytological specimen evaluation. Adequate specimens had at least six clusters of follicular cells from at least two separate needle passes. RESULTS: Non-diagnostic specimens occurred in 16 of 447 (3.6%) nodules, whereas suboptimal specimens occurred in 17 of 447 (3.8%). Adequate samples were obtained in 413 of 447 (92.6%) of specimens. Malignancy was present in 20 of 447 (4.5%) and atypical features were present in 37 of 447 (8.3%). Benign diagnoses were rendered in 357 of 447 (79.9%) of specimens, of which four of 357 (1.1%) represented false-negative results. CONCLUSION: Prior publications recommend that obtaining adequate thyroid cytology specimens requires use of US-guided FNAB and on-site evaluation of cytology adequacy. This study demonstrates that a combination of experienced US guidance, both capillary and aspiration sampling, and three to four needle passes produce comparable results while conserving costs and resources.

Upper blepharoplasty in the Asian eyelid.

Upper-eyelid blepharoplasty in the Asian patient poses unique challenges. The anatomy is complex and highly variable, and the esthetic goals vary from patient to patient. The surgeon must perform more complicated maneuvers than in Caucasian blepharoplasty in an anatomic field with features that predispose for complications. The successful surgeon must identify the features of the eyelid to be modified through a detailed consultation with the patient, formulate a sound surgical plan based on a mastery of the complex anatomy, and execute all maneuvers with conservatism and exact precision.

Upper blepharoplasty in the Asian eyelid.

Upper eyelid blepharoplasty is a major component of cosmetic surgery in the Asian face. The complicated and variable anatomy of the Asian upper eyelid is reviewed, stressing the major differences between Asian and Caucasian eyes. The authors' preferred surgery for the creation of a double eyelid is discussed, including the preoperative assessment, intraoperative maneuvers, and laser techniques. The article concludes with a discussion of the complications specifically related to Asian blepharoplasty and strategies to avoid them.