Intracranial complications of acute mastoiditis: Surgery not always necessary.

INTRODUCTION: Acute mastoiditis (AM) can rapidly become life-threatening with various intracranial complications. The standard care includes antibiotics, mastoidectomy, and drainage. Reports show varying preferences for conservative and surgical treatments, with a more conservative approach gaining popularity. In this study we aim to evaluate the presenting symptoms, management and outcomes of patients presenting with intracranial complications secondary to acute mastoiditis. METHODS: Retrospective review for all children admitted for acute mastoiditis for 12 years period (January 2010-December 2021). Children who had mastoiditis associated with intracranial complications were included in the study. STROBE guidelines were followed in this study. RESULTS: 23 patients were diagnosed with acute mastoiditis with intracranial complications. The mean age was 2.1 years. The most common presenting sign was fever, followed by otalgia. The most common pathogens were Fusobacterium necrophorum and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The most common intracranial complication was sinus vein thrombosis (SVT) affecting 13 patients. Eventually, 10 patients underwent cortical mastoidectomy during 1-6 days upon admission, with an average of 3.2 days. During the follow-up period patients were monitored for clinical progression. Patients who did not show clinical improvement such as persistent fever, worsening symptoms, or the presence of neurological symptoms were treated surgically. The length of stay was an average of 15.5 days overall, with no significantly longer hospital stay in patients who were treated surgically compared to patients who were treated conservatively (17.1 days vs. 14.2 days, P = .26). CONCLUSION: Intracranial complications of acute mastoiditis remain a significant challenge. Selected patients with intracranial complications can be treated conservatively with close monitoring, without increasing the risk of immediate or long-term complications. Initial antimicrobial treatment should cover anaerobic bacteria, as it correlates with severe complications.

Xylitol nasal spray for prevention of recurrent acute otitis media in children: A prospective two-center cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of xylitol nasal spray as a prophylactic treatment for children with recurrent acute otitis media (AOM). METHODS: This is a prospective pilot study of children aged 1-4 years, diagnosed with recurrent AOM (at least three episodes in the three months before recruitment) between December 1, 2019 and January 31, 2023. Children were treated with nasal xylitol spray 2-3 times daily for 3 months. The number of AOM episodes and treatments administered were compared within 3-month intervals: before recruitment, during xylitol use, and during the three subsequent months. RESULTS: Of 68 children enrolled, 66 (97%) completed the follow-up, until July 2023. Thirty-eight (58%) were males. Sixty-three children (95%) were 12-24-months old. The mean number of AOM episodes during xylitol use, 1.06 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73-1.39), was lower than in the 3-month previous interval, 4.12 (95% CI: 3.89-4.40), p < 0.001; and similar to that in the subsequent 3-month interval, 0.79 (95% CI: 0.49-1.08), p = 0.082. A similar pattern was observed in an analysis of the number of AOM episodes per patient month. The data were similar during spring and summer months as during autumn and winter months. Across the consecutive three-month intervals, decreases were observed in the mean number of AOM episodes treated with systemic antibiotics (3.35, 0.65, and 0.41), p < 0.001; and with topical antibiotics (1.38, 0.55, and 0.32), p < 0.001. No major side effects were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the effectiveness and safety of nasal xylitol spray, for preventing recurrent AOM in children aged 1-4 years.

Middle ear effusion and newborn hearing screening.

PURPOSE: Middle ear effusion (MEE) is one of the reasons for screening failure and may require prolonged follow-up due to conductive hearing loss. We aimed to examine at 1-year follow-up, the fate of MEE. METHODS: From medical charts, computerized data were collected retrospectively of newborns born in the years 2012-2013 in Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa city, Israel, who failed the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS), and follow-up hearing evaluation data were extracted. RESULTS: Of 9527 newborns born in 2012-2013 in our institution, 144 [1.5%] failed the UNHS, and 46 were eventually diagnosed with conductive hearing loss caused by MEE. Spontaneous MEE clearance was recorded in 12 [26%], while 26 [57%] patients had persistent effusion that required further follow-up (10 [22%] required insertion of ventilation tubes and 16 [35%] were referred for further follow-up); 8 [17%] were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION: Congenital MEE causing conductive hearing loss and UNHS failure is persistent and resolves at lower rates than non-congenital MEE.

No difference in wound complications with or without a post-operative pressure dressing: Our experience in 135 children undergoing mastoidectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of avoiding mastoid pressure dressing (MPD) on children as a means of preventing discomfort and post-operative pain. DESIGN: A retrospective controlled study. SETTING: All operations were carried out by experienced surgeons using standard techniques, whose custom, not the gravity of any individual case, dictated the use of MPD. PARTICIPANTS: Children who underwent mastoidectomy for inflammatory middle ear diseases at a tertiary centre from 2010 to 2021. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Wound-related complications and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores at discharge were compared between children who had an MPD applied following surgery and those who did not. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-five cases were included. The demographic characteristics of the patients and surgical techniques employed were similar for both groups. There were 91 patients in the MPD group and 44 in the non-mastoid dressing (NMPD) group. In the MPD group, five patients developed minor wound dehiscence, eight experienced surgical site infections (SSI), and one patient developed a keloid. In the NMPD group, one patient had an SSI, one patient suffered from a keloid scar, wound dehiscence was observed in one patient, and another one had a local hematoma. Therefore, there were no differences between the groups in relation to post-operative complications (p = .32). Despite these similitudes, the NMPD patients suffered less post-operative pain, as measured by the VAS (p = .02). CONCLUSION: This study shows that no significant benefit is derived from using an MPD after mastoidectomy in children. Surgeons should adhere to principles of appropriate haemostasis and wound closure to prevent post-operative wound complications. Our study supports the abandonment of routine MPD in children following mastoidectomy.

An Approach to Nasopharyngeal Mass in Newborns: Case Series and Systematic Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: Congenital nasopharyngeal masses (CNMs) are rare. Presenting symptoms vary, and the differential diagnoses cover a wide spectrum of possibilities. As it is uncommon, most examples discussed in literature are described as case reports or series. Guidelines on CNM patient management do not exist. In this study, we present two (2) cases of neonates with CNMs that were encountered at our tertiary center. Additionally, to best elaborate a comprehensive, case-based approach to CNM management, we offer an up-to-date, diagnosis-to-treatment review of current literature. METHODS: Case series and systematic literature review. RESULTS: Twenty-eight (28) studies are included since January 2000 to October 2021, with a total of 41 cases. Most common diagnosis was teratoma (78%). Female-to-male ratio was 2.5:1. Twenty percent of cases presented prenatally with polyhydramnios or elevated alpha-fetoprotein. Postnatally, the presenting symptoms most frequently encountered were respiratory distress (78%), oral mass (52%), and feeding difficulties (29%). Seventy-five percent of affected newborns showed symptoms within the first 24 hours of life. Forty percent of cases had comorbidities, especially in the head and neck region. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital nasopharyngeal masses can be detected antenatally, or symptomatically immediately after birth. Airway protection is a cornerstone in the management. Selecting the right imaging modality and convening a multidisciplinary team meeting are important toward the planning of next steps/therapeutic approach. Typically, a transnasal or transoral surgical approach will be deemed sufficient to address the problem, with a good overall prognosis.

Can Tonsillectomy Be Safely Performed by Residents? A Comparative Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a surgeon's level of training is associated with outcomes in pediatric tonsillectomy. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of the outcomes of pediatric tonsillectomies performed between 2006 and 2016 by senior surgeons versus resident surgeons under the supervision of senior surgeons. SETTING: An otolaryngology department in a tertiary academic hospital. PATIENTS: Children younger than 18 years who underwent bilateral tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraoperative bleeding, initiation of oral intake, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Of 785 children, 397 (50.5%) were operated on by a resident surgeon and 388 (49.5%) by a senior surgeon. Patient demographics and surgical techniques were similar between the groups. The mean surgical time was 33.2 minutes in the residents' group and 27.1 minutes in the seniors' group (P = .032). The groups were similar in intraoperative bleeding, while same-day initiation of oral intake was 71% for children in the residents' group versus 61% in the seniors' group (P = .28). Reports of postoperative bleeding necessitating readmission and revised operations were similar for both groups (3.0% and 0.7%, respectively, in the residents' group; and 2.5% and 1.0%, respectively, in the seniors' group). CONCLUSION: Children undergoing tonsillectomy showed similar short-term outcomes, whether the operations were performed by a senior surgeon or a resident surgeon supervised by an attending surgeon. This study demonstrates the safety of pediatric tonsillectomy performed by resident surgeons supervised by attending physicians.

Cold versus hot adenoidectomy: A prospective, randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Adenoidectomy can be performed using the cold method (mainly adenoid curettes) or the hot method (suction diathermy). Both techniques have similar intra and postoperative outcomes. However, the long-term clinical outcome of improving sleep disorder symptoms has not been well established. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes of hot method and cold method adenoidectomy one year following the surgery. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, single-blinded study of children under age 16 years who underwent adenoidectomy during the years 2014-2017. Patients were randomized to hot or cold adenoidectomy techniques. SETTING: A tertiary health care referral center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The final analysis included 58 children, mean age 5.9 years (range 1.2-15). The primary outcome was change in the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) scores one month and one year after surgery. The secondary outcome was complication rate. RESULTS: Clinical and demographic parameters were similar between the patients in the hot method group (n = 30) and the cold method group (n = 28). Adenoid size and estimated bleeding were similar between the groups. At one month after surgery, PSQ score was improved by a mean + 0.31 in the hot method group compared to +0.32 in the cold method group (p = 0.54). Improvement in PSQ scores was greater following hot than cold adenoidectomy at one year after surgery (+0.31 points vs. +0.22 points, p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Hot adenoidectomy is associated with better outcome than the cold technique, as reflected by PSQ scores one year after the surgery.

Foreign Body Aspiration in Infants and Older Children: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. It is a preventable event that predominates in preschool age. The signs and symptoms mimic respiratory diseases common in the same age-group. We compared FBA in infants to FBA in older children. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all the cases of suspected FBA of children under the age of 18 years hospitalized at one medical center during 2002 to 2016. We analyzed the data according to age: up to 1 year (infants) and 1 to 18 years. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-five children with suspected FBA were admitted; of whom, 27 (15%) were infants and 148 (85%) were older children (age 1-18 years). For the 2 age groups, adults witnessed 85% and 73%, respectively, of the incidents (P = .4). In the neonate group, 48% presented with normal X-ray findings compared to only 20% in the older group; 15% of the older group had a positive chest X-ray for a foreign body, while none had such in the infants' group (P = .01). For the 2 age groups, the majority of the FBs found were from organic origin. About half of the patients were diagnosed and managed within 24 hours of the aspiration event. In 10%, repeated bronchoscopy was performed due to a retained FB remnant. In a multivariate analysis, signs and symptoms (P < .05), location of the FB (P < .001), and witnessed aspiration (P < .001) were independent prognostic factors for the length of hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Foreign body aspiration is not uncommon in young infants; the management is challenging due to small airways, the need to use smaller bronchoscopes, and the lack of working channel forces in pediatric bronchoscopes.

Three-step management of a newborn with a giant, highly vascularized, cervical teratoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: A giant congenital cervical teratoma is often highly vascularized; thus, in addition to a life-threatening airway occlusion at birth it comprises a high risk for significant and lethal blood loss during resection. In the case presented, an endovascular embolization of the carotid artery that supplied a giant congenital cervical teratoma was done as part of a three-stage treatment soon after birth and contributed to an overall good outcome. Embolization in cases of cervical teratomas was not described previously. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a preterm newborn from a Sephardic jewish origin with a giant, highly vascularized, congenital cervical teratoma that was managed successfully in three stages: (1) delivery by an ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure after extensive preoperative planning and followed by tracheostomy, (2) endovascular embolization of the carotid artery that supplied the tumor in order to decrease blood loss during resection, and (3) complete surgical resection. The parents were involved in all the ethical and medical decisions, starting just after the cervical mass was diagnosed prenatally. CONCLUSION: The management of giant congenital cervical teratoma is often challenging from both a medical and ethical prospective. Meticulous perinatal planning and parents' involvement is crucial. Endovascular embolization of the tumor feeding vessels can significantly improve the resection outcome and overall prognosis.

Clival Syndrome Secondary to Anaerobic Mastoiditis in A 2-Year-Old Child.

Complications of acute mastoiditis can occur in about 10-20% of cases. Clival syndrome is a rare complication of mastoiditis, involving the 6th and 12th cranial nerves. We describe a case of a child with mastoiditis and presumed Lemierre syndrome complicated by clival syndrome.

Birth by cesarean delivery and failure on first otoacoustic emissions hearing test.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal hearing screening occasionally fails. We noticed that infants born by cesarean delivery (CD) appeared to fail the first otoacoustic emissions (OAE) test more frequently than infants delivered vaginally (VD). This might increase maternal anxiety. We aimed to evaluate the influence of mode of delivery on failure to pass the first OAE. METHODS: Overall, 1653 infants of >35 weeks' gestation were evaluated. OAE was performed before discharge. Perinatal-neonatal variables and results of OAE were recorded retrospectively. RESULTS: Compared with VD infants, CD infants had lower gestational age and 1-minute Apgar, more small for gestational age (SGA), and earlier age at first OAE. Univariate analysis: CD, male gender, gestational age 35 to 37 weeks, birth weight ≤ 2500 g, SGA, and younger age at first OAE were significantly associated with failed first OAE. In infants weighing 2501 to 4000 g, CD infants had 3-fold higher rates of failed first OAE in comparison with VD infants (20.7% vs 7.1%) before 48 hours of age. In the multivariate analysis, variables independently significantly associated with failed first OAE were male gender (odds ratio [OR] 1.42 [1.02-1.98]), CD (emergency CD: OR 3.18 [2.21-4.57], elective CD: OR 3.32 [2.04-5.42]), age 12 to 23 hours at first OAE (OR 3.1 [2.1-4.58]) and SGA (OR 2.2 [1.15-4.28]). CONCLUSIONS: CD infants had significantly higher failure rates on first OAE. We speculate that CD is accompanied by retained fluid in middle ear which may impair neonatal hearing. The timing of first OAE after CD should preferably be postponed beyond 48 hours of age to improve OAE passage and minimize maternal anxiety and costs.

An animal model for endotracheal tube-related laryngeal injury using hypoxic ventilation.

OBJECTIVES: To explore whether hypoxic ventilation could allow a practical animal model of laryngotracheal injury secondary to endotracheal intubation. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled animal study. SETTING: Animal laboratory in a tertiary pediatric hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eight Sus scrofa piglets (15-18 kg) were anesthetized and intubated for 4 hours, with a 6-mm cuffed endotracheal tube. They were randomly assigned to either constant hypoxic ventilation (oxygen saturation under 70%) or nonhypoxic ventilation. Endotracheal tube cuff pressure was manually controlled and maintained at a constant level. After 4 hours, fluorescein dye was administered intravenously to highlight areas of hypoperfusion within the larynx. The animals were euthanized at the end of the procedure, and the larynx and trachea were harvested for gross and histological examination. The pathologist was blinded to the ventilation group. The severity of laryngeal injury was graded between 0 and 4 by a senior pathologist. RESULTS: The experiment protocol was successfully completed in all animal subjects. The animals undergoing hypoxic ventilation showed a significantly higher median injury grade than the nonhypoxic animals (2 vs 1, respectively; P = .003). Damage was significantly worse in the hypoxic group at all anatomical sublevels. CONCLUSIONS: Endotracheal tube-related laryngeal injury was demonstrated after only 4 hours of intubation using this animal model, and hypoxic ventilation increased the severity of injury. This study therefore provides an animal model that may be suitable for future investigation and prevention of intubation injury.

Automated cuff pressure modulation: a novel device to reduce endotracheal tube injury.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether dynamically modulating endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff pressure, by decreasing it during each ventilatory cycle instead of maintaining a constant level, would reduce the extent of intubation-related laryngotracheal injury. DESIGN: Single-blind, randomized controlled animal study using a previously validated live porcine model of accelerated intubation-related tracheal injury. SETTING: Animal research facility. PATIENTS: Ten piglets (weight, 16-20 kg each) were anesthetized and underwent intubation using a cuffed ETT. INTERVENTIONS: The animals were randomized into the following 2 groups: 5 pigs had a novel device to modulate their cuff pressure from 25 cm H2O during inspiration to 7 cm H2O during expiration, and 5 pigs had a constant cuff pressure of 25 cm H2O. Both groups underwent ventilation under hypoxic conditions for 4 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Laryngotracheal mucosal injury after blinded histopathological assessment. RESULTS: The modulated-pressure group showed significantly less overall laryngotracheal damage than the constant-pressure group (mean grades, 1.2 vs 2.1; P < .001). Subglottic damage and tracheal damage were significantly less severe in the modulated-pressure group (mean grades, 1.0 vs 2.2; P < .001, and 1.9 vs 3.2; P < .001, respectively). There was no significant difference in glottic or supraglottic damage between the groups (P = .06 and .27, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This novel device reduces the risk of subglottic and tracheal injury by modulating ETT cuff pressure in synchronization with the ventilatory cycle. This finding could have far-reaching implications for reducing the risk of airway injury in patients undergoing long-term intubation. Further clinical study of this device is warranted.

Packing of the cochleostomy site affects auditory nerve response thresholds in precurved off-stylet cochlear implants.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether packing of the cochleostomy site influences electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) thresholds. DESIGN: Prospective nonrandomized control study. SETTING: Tertiary referral pediatric hospital. PATIENTS: Eleven consecutive children who received unilateral or bilateral cochlear implants (16 Nucleus 24RE Freedom precurved advanced off-stylet electrode arrays [Cochlear Corp., Lane Cove, New South Wales, Australia]) between June and September 2008. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Electrically evoked compound action potential thresholds were evoked by stimulation of basal (electrode 3), mid (electrode 9), and apical (electrode 20) electrodes during cochlear implant surgery in the operating room. The first recording was completed immediately after insertion of the electrode array before cochleostomy packing, and the same measures were collected immediately after the packing. The time between recordings was 5 minutes. RESULTS: Electrically evoked compound action potential thresholds evoked by the apical electrode did not significantly change from pre- to post-cochleostomy packing, but ECAP thresholds increased significantly after packing when evoked by the mid-array electrode (mean, +10 clinical units; p < 0.001) and decreased significantly when evoked by the basal electrode (mean, -5.6 clinical units; p = 0.023). These changes were unrelated to passive changes occurring over the first 5 minutes after insertion of the electrode array. CONCLUSION: Packing of the cochleostomy causes changes in ECAP thresholds evoked by mid and basal areas of the implant electrode array. These findings suggest that packing shifts the electrode array in the cochlea, increasing the distance from the modiolus in the mid array and decreasing this distance at the basal end. This study is concerned with a single electrode array from a single manufacturer and a single insertion method (precurved off-stylet electrode). These conclusions may be too broad to apply to all precurved electrode arrays.

Effect of a novel anatomically shaped endotracheal tube on intubation-related injury.

OBJECTIVES: To develop an anatomically shaped endotracheal tube (ETT) and to compare the degree of induced laryngeal injury of this ETT with that of a standard ETT using an animal model. DESIGN: Randomized controlled animal study. SUBJECTS: Eight Sus scrofa piglets (15-20 kg) randomly intubated with either a standard or a modified uncuffed ETT. INTERVENTIONS: The modified ETT was handcrafted by gluing and then trimming dry polyvinyl acetate foam circumferentially to the distal end of a standard uncuffed ETT. After intubation, the foam quickly self-expanded as it absorbed the secretions of the laryngopharynx and adopted the shape of the intraluminal airway. This conforming shape also sealed the larynx to allow for positive pressure ventilation. Both groups were intubated for 4 hours under constant hypoxic conditions (mean oxygen saturation <70%) to enhance and accelerate intubation damage. They were then humanely killed, and the larynx and trachea were harvested for histologic examination. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The severity of laryngeal injury graded on a scale from 0 to 4 (0 indicates normal; 1, epithelial compression; 2, epithelial loss; 3, subepithelial and glandular necrosis; and 4, perichondrium involvement). RESULTS: All of the specimens histologically demonstrated areas of inflammation and epithelial loss. The standard ETT caused substantial deep damage, with a mean (SD) severity score of 2.79 (0.74). The modified ETT caused mainly superficial damage, with a mean (SD) severity score of 1.65 (0.56) (P < .001). CONCLUSION: The modified ETT objectively caused less laryngotracheal damage compared with the standard ETT and may be of potential clinical benefit.

Evolution of cochlear implant arrays result in changes in behavioral and physiological responses in children.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a change in cochlear implant technology and electrode array design affects electrophysiological, behavioral, and functional measures of audition in pediatric cochlear implant users. DESIGN: Prospective nonrandomized control study over 6 months postimplantation. SETTING: Tertiary referral pediatric hospital. PATIENTS: A total of 115 children using unilateral cochlear implants were included in this study. Subjects were divided into 3 groups: 1) 38 using the Nucleus 24M straight array device, 2) 20 using the perimodiolar Nucleus 24RCS Contour array, and 3) 57 using the perimodiolar Nucleus 24RE array with advance off stylet insertion. The mean ages at implantation were 4.85 +/- 4 (24M), 3.88 +/- 3.4 (24RCS), and 5.41 +/- 4.36 years (24RE; not significant, p > 0.05). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The electrically evoked compound action potential (ECAP) and the electrically evoked stapedius reflex and behavioral measures of stimulation threshold were evoked by stimulation of basal, mid, and apical electrodes. These measures were completed at regular intervals over 6 to 12 months of implantation. Age-appropriate speech perception skills were also assessed during this period. RESULTS: The 24RE array group had significantly lower ECAP and behavioral thresholds compared with the 24M and 24RCS array groups. The largest reductions of ECAP thresholds in the precurved array group were observed upon apical and basal electrode stimulation. Electrically evoked stapedius reflex thresholds were significantly higher in the 24RE group as compared with 24M and 24RCS groups. Comparing age-matched groups, open- and closed-set speech perception test scores were significantly higher in the 24RE array group. CONCLUSION: The precurved Freedom 24RE cochlear implant potentially provides a wider range of stimulation levels and better functional results than the straight electrode 24M and the precurved 24RCS devices in profoundly hearing impaired children.

The role of FDG-PET/CT imaging in head and neck malignant conditions: impact on diagnostic accuracy and patient care.

BACKGROUND: To assess the value of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in patients with head and neck carcinoma as compared with PET and conventional imaging alone, and to assess the impact of PET/CT on further clinical management. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective nonrandomized study. SETTING: Ninety patients with head and neck tumors had 107 PET/CT examinations. RESULTS: The study analysis showed that PET/CT had a sensitivity of 89%, specificity 95%, PPV 94%, NPV 90%, and accuracy of 92%. PET/CT altered management in 51 patients (56%). PET/CT eliminated the need for previously planned diagnostic procedures in 24 patients, induced a change in the planned therapeutic approach in 21 patients and guided biopsy in 6 patients. CONCLUSIONS: PET/CT is an imaging modality with high diagnostic performance in the assessment of head and neck cancer, and induced a change in further clinical management in more than half of the study population.

[Frontal sinus fractures: five years of treatment experience].

BACKGROUND: Frontal sinus fractures are commonly encountered in major trauma centers. They are almost exclusively seen in young adults and are usually caused by high velocity impacts. The intimate association of the frontal sinuses with structures such as frontal lobes and the eyes makes the appropriate management of this injury essential. PURPOSE: To review patients that suffered from frontal sinus fractures and underwent surgery, and to evaluate the efficacy and complications of this treatment. METHODS: This is a retrospective study. The study population included all the patients that suffered from frontal sinus fracture and underwent a surgical intervention between the years 1998-2002. The data that was collected included demographic parameters, cause of injury, timing and kind of surgery, postoperative complications and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: A total of 47 patients were operated on due to frontal sinus fractures during the years 1998-2002. Only 38 had adequate follow-up. Seventy percent of the patients suffered from bitable fractures. The other 30% had only anterior wall fractures. A total of 47% of the patients had additional facial fractures and 39% had intracranial injuries. Most of the patients were operated on during the first 24 hours (50%). The incidence of major postoperative complications was 2.5% (1 patient had meningitis). Minor complications occurred in 15% of the patients (mainly decreased forehead sensation). CONCLUSIONS: Frontal sinus fractures are commonly seen in major trauma centers. High index of suspicion, careful physical examination and imaging assistance are essential for accurate diagnosis. Lack of appropriate treatment can lead to serious intracranial complications. The surgical intervention achieves good cosmetic and functional outcomes in a majority of the patients.

Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging in patients with carcinoma of the nasopharynx: diagnostic accuracy and impact on clinical management.

PURPOSE: To assess the value of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma as compared with PET and conventional imaging (CI) alone, and to assess the impact of PET/CT on further clinical management. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Thirty-three patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma had 45 PET/CT examinations. The study was a retrospective analysis. Changes in patient care resulting from the PET/CT studies were recorded. RESULTS: Positron emission tomography/computed tomography had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 92%, 90%, 90%, 90%, and 91%, respectively, as compared with 92%, 65%, 76%, 86%, and 80% for PET and 92%, 15%, 60%, 60%, and 60% for CI. Imaging with PET/CT altered further management of 19 patients (57%). Imaging with PET/CT eliminated the need for previously planned diagnostic procedures in 11 patients, induced a change in the planned therapeutic approach in 5 patients, and guided biopsy to a specific metabolically active area inside an edematous region in 3 patients, thus decreasing the chances for tissue sampling errors and avoiding damage to nonmalignant tissue. CONCLUSIONS: In cancer of the nasopharynx, the diagnostic performance of PET/CT is better than that of stand-alone PET or CI. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography had a major impact on further clinical management in 57% of patients.