Skull Base Osteomyelitis After Nasopharyngeal Cyst Excision.

We present a case of an 80-year-old male who developed skull base osteomyelitis after nasopharyngeal cyst removal. A review of the literature regarding complications after nasopharyngeal cyst removal was performed. We describe the difficulty of diagnosing an osteomyelitis infection and the best approach to recognizing osteomyelitis before complications worsen.

Transpalatal reconstruction and stenting for treatment of choanal atresia and nasopharyngeal stenosis in a dog.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 3-year-old 17.5-kg (38.5-lb) mixed-breed dog was referred for evaluation because of nasal discharge, sneezing, and signs of nasal congestion of approximately 9 months' duration. A diagnosis of nasopharyngeal stenosis (NPS) was made prior to referral. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Sneezing, bilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge, reduced nasal airflow, stertor, and increased inspiratory effort were noted on physical examination. Results of serum biochemical analysis were within respective reference ranges. Review of CT images of the skull revealed findings consistent with severe bilateral partial osseous choanal atresia and NPS. Retrograde rhinoscopy confirmed membranous NPS. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: A ventral rhinotomy was performed; communication between the pharynx and nasal passageway was reestablished by surgical debridement of the caudal border of the palatine bone and vomerine crest and groove, followed by dissection of the membranous NPS and reconstruction of the caudal part of the nasopharynx. A covered nasopharyngeal stent was placed in the newly established nasopharynx. The dog recovered uneventfully but was presented 3 weeks later with recurrent signs; diagnostic findings were consistent with stenosis rostral to the stent. The stenosis was treated with balloon dilation, and a second covered stent was placed rostral to and overlapping the first stent, spanning the stenotic region. Eleven months after this procedure, the dog was doing well. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results for this patient suggested that ventral rhinotomy and covered nasopharyngeal stent placement can be used successfully for the management of osseous choanal atresia in dogs; however, careful attention to preoperative planning and potential complications is necessary.

A Rare Nasopharyngeal Presentation of Amyloidosis.

Amyloidosis is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by the extracellular deposition of insoluble proteins whose pathogenesis is not yet fully understood. The deposition of amyloid proteins can be systemic or localized, idiopathic or related to systemic diseases, mostly multiple myeloma or chronic inflammatory diseases. Localized head and neck amyloidosis is a rare entity, mainly involving the larynx. Given the rarity of the disease and the absence of a lasting follow-up protocol, there is no standard treatment defined for localized amyloidosis. We report a rare case of localized nasopharyngeal amyloidosis, treated with complete transoral resection and confirmed by histological examination.

Efficacy and Safety of Neuromuscular Blockade in Overweight Patients Undergoing Nasopharyngeal Surgery.

BACKGROUND Adequate muscle relaxation and rapid recovery of neuromuscular function are essential in the perioperative period. We therefore compared various anesthetic regimens of neuromuscular blockers and antagonists administered to overweight patients undergoing nasopharyngeal surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS This prospective, randomized, double-blind study was conducted in overweight patients undergoing nasopharyngeal surgery. We randomly assigned 102 patients into 3 groups (each n=34) treated with various muscle relaxant agents and antagonists: rocuronium and sugammadex (Group RS), rocuronium and neostigmine (Group RN), and cisatracurium and neostigmine (Group CN). Then, we compared the efficacy and safety indexes of the 3 groups. RESULTS Onset times of muscular relaxation in Group RS and Group RN (110 s and 120 s) were shorter than in Group CN (183 s). Time from administration of antagonist to recovery of the TOF ratio to 0.9 was shorter in Group RS (3.3 min) than in other groups (20.7 min and 19.1 min, respectively). The incidence of postoperative residual curarization (PORC) was significantly lower in Group RS (5.9%) than in the other 2 groups (both 41.2%). The hemodynamic parameter changes before extubation were significantly higher in Group RN and Group CN than in Group RS. The postoperative pain scores were lowest in Group RS. CONCLUSIONS For overweight patients undergoing nasopharyngeal surgery, the use of rocuronium with sugammadex had the shortest onset time of neuromuscular relaxation, accelerated the reversion of neuromuscular blockade, effectively reduced the occurrence of PORC, relieved postoperative pain, and maintained hemodynamic stability before extubation. The combination of rocuronium and sugammadex may be the best anesthetic regimen for overweight patients undergoing nasopharyngeal surgery.

[Nasopharyngeal hairy polyp in a newborn with intermittent airway obstruction. Case report]. / Pólipo piloso nasofaríngeo en un recién nacido con obstrucción intermitente de la vía aérea. Presentación de un caso.

Nasopharyngeal hairy polyps are rare benign tumors. We present a newborn case with a hairy polyp mass causing cyanosis and respiratory distress due to obstruction of the upper airway during the first 24 hours of life. The patient required resuscitation and endotracheal intubation. Diagnostic studies confirmed the presence of a mass in the lateral pharyngeal wall. Surgical treatment and removal of the mass was performed with satisfactory evolution of the patient.

Los pólipos pilosos nasofaríngeos son tumores benignos poco frecuentes. Se presenta el caso de esta patología en una paciente recién nacida, quien presentó cianosis y dificultad respiratoria por obstrucción de la vía aérea superior, durante las primeras 24 horas de vida. La paciente requirió maniobras de reanimación e intubación endotraqueal. Estudios diagnósticos confirmaron la presencia de una masa en la pared lateral de la faringe. Se realizó la extirpación quirúrgica exitosa con evolución satisfactoria de la paciente.

Tumor de cavum: quiste de thornwaldt. Reporte de un caso / Cavum tumor: thornwaldt's cyst. Case report

El quiste de Thornwaldt es un tumor benigno de cavum, poco frecuente, generalmente asintomático, pero puede llegar a causar sintomatología significativa según su tamaño. Se genera a partir de un resto embrionario de la notocorda. Suele ser un hallazgo incidental en los estudios endoscópicos e imagenológicos y su tratamiento depende de su sintomatología. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 27 años de edad quien acudió a nuestro servicio con sintomatología caracterizada por obstrucción nasal, rinolalia y disfagia de dos años de evolución, secundarios a una tumoración de cavum hallada en la faringoscopía, la cual requirió tratamiento quirúrgico para su resolución

Thornwaldt's cyst is a rare benign cavum tumor usually asymptomatic, but it can cause significant symptoms depending on its size. Its generated from an embryological rest of the notochord. It is usually an incidental finding in endoscopic and imaging studies and its treatment depends on the symptoms. We present the case of a 27-year-old female patient who came to our service with symp-toms characterized by nasal obstruction, rhinolalia and dysphagia of two years of evolution secondary to a cavum tumor found in pharyngoscopy, which required surgical treatment for resolution

Obstructive sleep apnea in 2-6 year old children referred for adenotonsillectomy.

PURPOSE: Adenotonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children. The indications for surgery are either frequent recurrent throat infections or hypertrophy of the tonsils/adenoid vegetation, which can cause obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). There is disagreement regarding the need for sleep studies before adenotonsillectomy to confirm a diagnosis of OSA. Several studies have evaluated questionnaires and physical examination as tools to identify OSA, with conflicting results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of OSA among children referred for adenotonsillectomy and whether questionnaires or physical examination can help identify OSA. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study of children aged 2-6 years, referred for adenotonsillectomy. Polysomnography and an otorhinological examination were performed. Tonsillar size and the oral cavity were graded using Friedman's classification and Mallampati score, respectively. The Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) and OSA-18 were also completed. RESULTS: 100 children were included. The prevalence of OSA was 87%, with 52% having moderate to severe OSA. The usefulness of the PSQ and OSA-18 for detecting OSA was evaluated using multiple cutoff points, but none yielded acceptable values for both sensitivity and specificity. In logistic regression analyses predicting different levels of OSA severity, age, Friedman tonsillar size and Mallampati score were weakly associated with OSA. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of OSA is high among children referred for adenotonsillectomy and questionnaires and clinical characteristics are not sensitive enough to detect the presence or severity of OSA.

Interventional treatment of benign nasopharyngeal stenosis and imperforate nasopharynx in dogs and cats: 46 cases (2005-2013).

OBJECTIVE To determine outcome for dogs and cats with benign nasopharyngeal stenosis or an imperforate nasopharynx that underwent balloon dilatation or metallic stent placement. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 15 dogs and 31 cats. PROCEDURES Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, and data on signalment, history, clinical signs, lesion location, treatment, and outcome were obtained. Patients were excluded if < 6 months of follow-up information was available. RESULTS 5 dogs and 22 cats underwent balloon dilatation, and results were successful in 11 (0 dogs and 11 cats) of the 27 (41%). Stents were placed in 34 patients (including 15 in which balloon dilatation had been unsuccessful). Uncovered stents were placed in 30 patients, and results were successful in 20 (67%). Covered stents were placed in 11 patients (including 7 in which uncovered stent placement was unsuccessful), and results were successful in all 11. Twenty-three of the 34 (68%) patients in which stents were placed developed complications. The most common complications were tissue ingrowth (n = 10), chronic infection (7), and stent fracture (5) for the 30 patients with uncovered stents and chronic infection (8) and oronasal fistula (3) for the 11 patients with covered stents. Overall, outcome was successful in 36 of the 46 (78%) patients (median follow-up time, 24 months; range, 2 to 109 months). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that in dogs and cats, nasopharyngeal stenosis and imperforate nasopharynx can be successfully treated with balloon dilatation or stent placement, but that there was a high risk of failure with balloon dilatation alone and a high risk of complications regardless of procedure.

Cerebrospinal fluid leakage after turbinate submucosal diathermy: an unusual complication.

Submucosal diathermy of the inferior turbinate (SMDIT) is a generally safe procedure to control inferior turbinate hypertrophy. We present a case of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak at the craniocervical junction after SMDIT done in another institution. A 27-year-old man presented 3 weeks after undergoing SMDIT with signs and symptoms of meningitis and postnasal rhinorrhea. Nasal endoscopy and imaging revealed a nasopharyngeal CSF fistula at the craniocervical junction. Transnasal endoscopic repair and reconstruction was performed with no recurrence on repeat imaging and clinical follow up. We describe the first reported case in the literature of an iatrogenic CSF fistula caused by SMDIT, an unusual and potentially fatal complication, and its surgical management. SIMILAR CASES PUBLISHED: 0 CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

[Observation of the intra-adenoid cysts in the nasopharynx]. / Nabliudenie intraadenoidnykh kist nosoglotki.

The objective of the present study was to demonstrate the clinical significance and possibilities of diagnostics and treatment of the intra-adenoid cysts in the nasopharynx as exemplified by an original observation of an individual case. The cystic structures in the nasopharynx rarely manifest themselves clinically and are known to produce the non-specific symptoms. The patients admitted to the L.I. Sverzhevskiy Research Institute of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology for the surgical treatment of nasopharyngeal cysts account for 0.05% of the total number of the hospitalized subjects. This article reports a case of two large intra-adenoid cysts in the nasopharynx of one patient complicated by bilateral exudative otitis media. The successful outcome of the surgical treatment of this condition was achieved by means of endonasal marsupilization of the cysts under the laser-assisted endoscopic control with simultaneous bilateral shunting of the tympanic cavity.

Localised nasopharyngeal amyloidosis: the importance of postoperative follow-up.

Localised nasopharyngeal amyloidosis is rare. Findings on physical examination and invasive pattern on CT scan can be misleading as it can resemble nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A 64-year-old man presented with left aural fullness for 6 months. The physical examination showed straw-coloured fluid in the left middle ear and irregular reddish mass at the left side of the nasopharynx. The CT scan showed a lobulated heterogeneous mass at the left side of the nasopharynx involving the left Eustachian tube opening. Pathology report was amyloidosis, thus, surgery was done. After a year, there were new foci of amyloidosis at the right side of the nasopharynx, and a repeat surgery was performed. Two years later, the systemic amyloidosis with underlying IgG4-related disease was suspected due to multiple organ involvement. Surgery is the treatment for localised amyloidosis with compressive symptoms. Close follow-up is important after surgical excision due to its recurrence and progression to systemic amyloidosis.

[Differential diagnostics and the treatment strategy for the management of the nasopharyngeal cystic lesions]. / Differentsial'naia diagnostika i taktika lecheniia kistoznykh obrazovanii nosoglotki.

The nasopharyngeal cystic lesions are quite common (affecting up to 14% of the general population) even though the majority of the cases are asymptomatic. Sometimes this condition is associated with the obstruction of nasal breathing, runny nose, hearing impairment, and other non-specific clinical manifestations. The endoscopic examination of the nasal cavity allows the preliminary clinical diagnosis to be established, however, MRI and CT visualization are necessary for more reliable differential diagnostics of this pathology and adequate planning of its treatment. The nasopharyngeal cysts require the surgical treatment, with endoscopic transnasal marsupialization in the combination with coblation, radiowave or laser irradiation being the main currently available option.

Endoscopy-assisted Coblation for nasopharyngeal stenosis: A report of 2 cases.

Acquired nasopharyngeal stenosis, the standard treatments for which carry a high risk of restenosis, is an uncommon complication of both velopharyngeal surgery and radiotherapy to the nasopharynx. We present the cases of 2 men, aged 41 and 52 years, who underwent surgical treatment for nasopharyngeal stenosis with endoscopy-assisted Coblation. The two surgeries lasted 23 and 18 minutes, respectively. Neither patient experienced any surgical complication, and a nasopharyngeal stent was not needed in either case. At follow-up 12 months postoperatively, both patients exhibited a patent nasopharyngeal passage. Endoscopy-assisted Coblation appears to be a safe, effective, and less painful option for the treatment of nasopharyngeal stenosis.

Primary nasopharyngeal polyps: a case series on a rare clinical entity.

Primary non-neoplastic polyps originating from the nasopharynx have not been reported in the English language literature. We present the clinical and histopathological features of three primary nasopharyngeal polyps. Clinical data of three patients with primary nasopharyngeal polyps treated at the Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between 2005 and 2015 were analyzed and presented. Three male patients from 45 to 63 years presented with nasopharyngeal masses. CT or MRI examination showed nasopharyngeal space-occupying lesions. Two patients were initially diagnosed with nasopharyngeal angiofibroma and one patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. After surgical excision, based on the histological examination, the tissue masses were all diagnosed as inflammatory polyps. Histologically, the polyps demonstrated significant oedema, collagen deposition, leukocytic infiltration, and epithelial remodelling. Primary nasopharyngeal polyps represent a distinct clinical entity and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nasopharyngeal masses.

Localized nasopharyngeal amyloidosis mimicking malignancy: A case report.

RATIONALE: Nasopharyngeal amyloidosis is a benign, slowly progressive disease that is characterized by extracellular eosinophilic deposition. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a rare case of localized nasopharyngeal amyloidosis. DIAGNOSES: The initial chief complaint of this patient was frequent epistaxis and right aural fullness. The initial diagnosis was nasopharyngeal tumor. INTERVENTIONS: There is no universally effective medical treatment for nasopharyngeal amyloidosis but surgery can be an option. We performed careful observation with regular follow-up by nasopharyngoscopy and radiologic study. OUTCOMES: The patient reported no further complaints at 1-year follow-up and the lesion from nasopharyngeal amyloidosis was still present. LESSONS: Although it is rare, nasopharyngeal amyloidosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of epistaxis, nasal obstruction, and otitis media with effusion, which are the main symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In the absence of systemic disease, localized nasopharyngeal amyloidosis may be treated conservatively.

[Endoscopic transnasal surgery for giant fibrous dysplasia of the skull base, spreading to the right orbital cavity and nasopharynx (a case report and literature review)]. / Endoskopicheskaya transnazal'naya khirurgiya gigantskoi fibroznoi displazii osnovaniya cherepa, rasprostranyayushcheisya v polost' pravoi orbity i nosoglotku (opisanie nablyudeniya i obzor literatury).

BACKGROUND: An extended endoscopic endonasal approach is increasingly used in surgical treatment of space-occupying skull base lesions. The international literature reports only 20 cases of surgical treatment for fibrous dysplasia (PD) of the skull base using the endoscopic endonasal approach. We present our experience with the endoscopic endonasal approach in surgical treatment for giant fibrous dysplasia of the skull base, spreading to the right orbital cavity and nasopharynx. CLINICAL CASE: A 26-year-old male patient presented with cranial pain, Vth nerve dysfunction on the right, right keratopathy. OD=0.2 (near acuity - 0.3), OS=1.0, OD - incomplete eyelid closure of 2 mm, conjunctival injection, mucous discharge, corneal opacity in the lower pole and paracentrally, OS - normal appearance. Severe right-sided exophthalmos (more than 15 mm), impaired nasal breathing on the right, nasal (hemorrhagic) discharge. Magnetic resonance imaging and spiral computed tomography scans revealed a bone density lesion located in the area of the orbit, nasal cavity, maxillary sinus on the right, and labyrinth of the ethmoid bone. The patient underwent endonasal endoscopic resection of the lesion. RESULTS: The lesion was resected totally, which was confirmed by control SCT. Right-sided exophthalmos partially regressed (on the right: exophthalmos of 8 mm; protrusion: OD=23 mm, OS=15 mm; the eyeball was displaced downward and outward). The visual and oculomotor functions did not change. The neurological status remained at the preoperative level. CONCLUSION: Fibrous dysplasia of the skull base is an extremely rare disease. Modern techniques expand the indications for surgery of giant tumors of the skull base using minimally invasive approaches, in particular the endoscopic endonasal approach.

A huge Thornwaldt's cyst causing hearing loss in an adult patient.

Nasopharynx (NP) is anatomically difficult to explore adequately. The pharyngeal bursa (PB) is a recess lined with respiratory epithelium along the posterior wall of the nasopharynx between the longus capitis muscles. If the opening through which the bursa drains into the nasopharynx becomes obstructed, a Thornwaldt's cyst (TC) might develop. Small-sized cysts are mostly asymptomatic, whereas large-sized cysts may lead to various nasal and otologic symptoms depending on their localization. In this report, we present a 71-year-old case with a huge TC who presented to our clinic with the complaints of snoring, nasal obstruction, periodic halitosis, postnasal drip, headache, and hearing loss in the left ear and underwent total excision of the cyst through transnasal endoscopy. The diagnosis and treatment characteristics of the case are presented with the review of the literature.

Palatal eversion for the treatment of combined nasopharyngeal stenosis and tonsillar pillars adhesion.

OBJECTIVE: Rarely the tonsillar pillars and the soft palate became adherent to the posterior nasopharyngeal wall by strong fibrous tissue due to excessive dissection and cauterization during surgery leading to nasopharyngeal stenosis. Therefore, many treatment modalities are being tried to cure this problem. The aim of this study is to explore our results of modifying the basic technique to accommodate those patients with combined nasopharyngeal stenosis and tonsillar pillars adhesions in one stage. STUDY DESIGN: Case series. METHODS: This study was conducted on 10 patients with combined nasopharyngeal stenosis and tonsillar pillars adhesions after adenotonsillectomy. They were subjected to treatment by palatal eversion through dividing the soft palate in the midline to separate each pillar from the pharyngeal wall in continuation with each half of soft palate and removal of the fibrous tissue causing stenosis. This was followed by eversion and fixation of the two palatal divisions on either side to allow complete epithelialization of the stenotic area. Postoperative follow-up was done for one year by the flexible nasopharyngoscopy, perceptual speech analysis, and polysomnography. RESULTS: The flexible nasopharyngosopic examination of the 10 patients at the end of post-operative period revealed a freely mobile soft palate with no nasopharyngeal stenosis or palatal fistula. Velopharyngeal function and speech assessment by perceptual speech analysis was normal in all 10 cases. No obstructive episodes were recorded in polysomnograms. CONCLUSIONS: Palatal eversion is a promising technique in the treatment of post-adenotonsillectomy of combined nasopharyngeal stenosis and tonsillar pillars adhesion. It is recommended to be used on a wider scale of patients and other indications as nasopharyngeal stenosis following uvulopalatoplasty and post nasopharyngeal radiotherapy. The level of evidence: 4 (case series).