Bola fúngica de cavidades paranasales: serie de casos / Fungus ball of the paranasal sinuses: case series

RESUMEN Introducción La bola fúngica (BF) es una sinusitis fúngica no invasiva, con acumulación extramucosa de conglomerados densos de hifas de hongos en cavidades paranasales (CPN), afectando generalmente a mujeres inmunocompetentes. Objetivo Describir la presentación cínica, diagnóstico y tratamiento de una serie de pacientes con diagnóstico de BF de CPN. Material y método Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de pacientes con diagnóstico histopatológico de BF sometidos a cirugía endoscópica nasal (CEN) en nuestra institución entre 2010 y 2016. Resultados Se incluyeron 20 pacientes (15 mujeres, 5 hombres), con edad promedio al diagnóstico de 64 años (35-86 años), la mayoría inmunocompetente (85%). El síntoma más frecuente fue dolor facial (8/20). Todos los pacientes fueron estudiados con tomografia computarizada (TC) de CPN, presentando calcificaciones en 70%. La ubicación más frecuente fue el seno maxilar (12/20) y luego esfenoidal (6/20). Se realizó CEN en todos los pacientes, combinándolo con Caldwell Luc en 3 de ellos. Los cultivos intraoperatorios resultaron negativos en el 75% de los pacientes. Conclusión La BF tiene presentación cínica inespecifica. Se sospecha en base a hallazgos imagenológicos en la TC de CPN y se confirma histopatológicamente, dado el bajo rendimiento de los cultivos. La CEN es la herramienta diagnóstico-terapéutica de elección, con baja tasa de recidiva local.

ABSTRACT Introduction A fungus ball (FB) is a non-invasive fungal sinusitis, consisting of extramucosal accumulation of dense fungal hyphae conglomerates, located in paranasal sinuses. It generally affects immunocompetent women. Aim To describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment in a series of patients diagnosed with FB of paranasal sinuses. Material and method Retrospective descriptive study regarding all patients with a histopathologic diagnosis of FB, who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in our institution between 2010 and 2016. Results Twenty patients (15 women, 5 men) were included, with a mean age at diagnosis of 64 years (35-86 years). Most were immunocompetent (85%). Facial pain was the most frequent symptom (8/20). All patients were studied with a sinus CT, finding paranasal calcifications in 70%. It predominantly involved the maxillary (12/20), and sphenoid sinus (6/20). All patients were treated with ESS, with a combined Caldwell Luc approach in only 3 of them. Intraoperative cultures were negative in 75% of patients. Conclusions Sinus FB has a non-specific clinical presentation. CT findings help suspect it, and it is confirmed with a histopathological study, given the poor efficiency of cultures. ESS is the diagnostic-therapeutic procedure of choice, with a low local recurrence rate.

Fungus ball of the paranasal sinuses: Analysis of our serie of patients. / Bola fúngica sinusal: análisis de nuestra casuística.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The fungus ball is the most frequent type of fungal rhino-sinusitis. The objective of this study is to analyze the clinical and surgical features of our patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 35 patients with fungus ball treated in our centre between 2006 and 2014. RESULTS: Mean age was 55 years old. 49% were men and 51% women. 75% involved the maxillary sinus, whereas 25% involved the sphenoid. 69% of our patients showed microcalcifications in the CT study. All the patients were surgically treated, with no cases of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical manifestations of fungus ball are non-specific, therefore endoscopy and image study are mandatory. The definitive diagnosis is made by histopathological study of the lesion. Endoscopic sinus surgery is the treatment of choice, with opening of the diseased sinus and complete removal of the fungus ball. The frequency of complications is very low. No oral or topical antimycotic treatments are necessary.

Reconstructed bone chip detachment is a risk factor for sinusitis after transsphenoidal surgery.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Sphenoid sinusitis is a complication associated with endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. Studies that address the relationship between methods of sellar defect reconstruction and postoperative sinusitis are rare. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, the possible risk factors, and the causative pathogens of sphenoid sinusitis after endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: We performed a prospective analysis of 182 patients with benign pituitary tumor who underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery and sellar defect reconstruction with bone chip, from July 2008 through July 2011. All patients were followed up with nasal endoscopy for at least 6 weeks. RESULTS: Fifty-seven (31.3%) patients developed postoperative sphenoid sinusitis. Comparing the sinusitis and nonsinusitis groups, we found that bone chip detachment was a significant risk factor for postoperative sinusitis, with a relative risk of 2.86 (64.1% vs. 22.4%). The most common pathogens present in cases of postoperative sinusitis were methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. CONCLUSIONS: Regular follow-up with nasal endoscopy can prevent delayed diagnosis of postoperative sphenoid sinusitis. Culture-directed antibiotics with aggressive endoscopic debridement are an effective treatment for these patients. An optimal reconstruction strategy should be further developed to reduce bone chip detachment and secondary sinusitis.

Unilateral blindness secondary to acute sphenoid sinusitis.

OBJECTIVES: To highlight a rare scenario where a delay in diagnosis caused unilateral blindness. CASE REPORT: A 45-year-old Aboriginal woman with a history of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presented with a severe left-sided headache, pyrexia and positive blood cultures. Following admission, the patient rapidly developed unilateral blindness, but did not inform her physician until 21 hours after onset. High-resolution CT scanning of the sinuses showed erosion of the bony covering of the optic nerve. Sinus surgery was performed. RESULTS: Despite the discovery of pus under considerable pressure, and clearing the sphenoid sinus of pus and debris, vision was not restored, even at 2-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Two pathological processes are postulated here: that erosion of the bony optic canal allowed the optic nerve to be exposed, allowing the ensuing sinusitis to cause irreversible nerve ischemia, and immunosuppression meant the patient's immune response was inadequate to cope with the sinusitis, with devastating effects.

Sinus balloon dilators: one surgeon's experience and proposed indications for their use.

From October 2006 through September 2007, balloon sinusotomies were attempted on 89 sinuses in 45 patients with chronic sinus disease. Ninety-eight percent of sinuses were successfully dilated, 3.4% required revision surgery, and one complication (unlikely related to use of the balloon) occurred. Forty-four percent had previous conventional endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), 87% were hybrid cases (combination of balloon and conventional ESS instruments used), 33% had nasal polyposis, and 1.98 sinuses per patient were dilated. Preoperative Lund-Mackay radiographic sinus-staging scores averaged 12.62. Sinus balloon dilators (SBDs) were used on the frontal sinuses 81% of the time, sphenoids 13%, and maxillary sinuses 6%. SBDs were found to be efficacious and safe. The devices were useful in identifying and dilating the frontal recess, especially in cases with altered anatomy or limited visibility. When compared to conventional ESS instrumentation, however, SBDs were found to offer little advantage in opening the maxillary or sphenoid sinuses. In frontal sinus hybrid cases, using the author's proposed surgical algorithm reduces operative time, costs and, in some cases, the need for balloon dilatation. SBDs have limited indications in a select group of patients.

MRI evaluation of the sphenoid sinus after transsphenoidal approach to the pituitary.

The transsphenoidal approach to the pituitary (TSA) is currently the most common approach used to treat pituitary tumors. The surgical technique necessitates an incomplete stripping of sphenoid sinus mucosa. Long-term postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of the sphenoid sinus has not been reported. A retrospective review of patients undergoing a TSA at the University of Washington Hospitals was performed. Preoperative scans were compared with postoperative scans done during three time intervals. Group 1 had scans at 1 to 12 weeks postoperatively; 10 of 10 patients had sinus effusions. Group 2 had scans at 6 to 18 months post-operatively; 22 of 31 had mucosal abnormalities. Group 3 had scans at 2 to 3 years; 7 of 9 were abnormal. MRI evaluation indicates that a majority of patients have both acute and chronic sphenoid sinus abnormalities after TSA.

[Incidence of non-tumor anomalies of the facial sinuses on x-ray computed tomography of the brain of asymptomatic patients. Clinical and radiologic correlations between involvements of ethmoid cells and other sinus cavities]. / Fréquence des anomalies non tumorales des sinus de la face au cours d'examens TDM de l'encéphale chez des sujets asymptomatiques. Corrélations cliniques et radiologiques entre l'atteinte des cellules ethmoïdales et celles des autres cavités sinusales.

Two hundred ninety five consecutive brain CT examinations of asymptomatic adults were studied prospectively for detection of nontumoral paranasal sinus abnormalities. CT alterations were found in 104 cases (35.3%), localized to the ethmoid cells in 83 cases, the maxillary sinuses in 56 cases, the sphenoid sinuses in 19 cases, and the frontal sinuses in 18 cases. The relationships between ethmoid cells disease and alterations of the large paranasal cavities are analysed, and the association with previous sinusitis or rhinitis is evaluated. Frontal sinus disease is associated in more than two-thirds of the cases with pathologic meatic and/or unciform ethmoid cells, but such an association could not be demonstrated for the other cavities.