Outcomes following Craniosynostosis Surgery at a Tertiary Care Center in the Middle East.

BACKGROUND: Despite advancements in craniosynostosis surgery, open surgical approaches remain crucial for the management of infants >6 months of age and in those with complex synostosis. The clinical features of craniosynostosis remain poorly characterized in the Middle East. This study sought to assess the clinical features and outcomes of infants undergoing craniosynostosis surgery at a tertiary care center in Lebanon. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent craniosynostosis surgery from December 2006 to December 2018 at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon. Clinicodemographic characteristics, complications, and recurrence outcomes were recorded and evaluated using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Thirty-five infants met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 9.0 ± 4.0 months. The most common site of suture involvement was metopic (28.6%), followed by unilateral coronal (25.7%), sagittal (20.0%), bicoronal (8.6%), and multiple sites (17.1%). Five patients (14.3%) had syndromic synostosis. Median estimated blood loss was 200 mL, and median volume of transfused packed red blood cells was 180 mL. Two patients (5.7%) experienced postoperative complications, including postoperative blood transfusion (n = 1)and wire protrusion requiring removal (n = 1). Three patients (8.6%) required reoperation: 2 (5.7%) for resynostosis and 1 for traumatic fracture repair. Caregivers of all patients reported high satisfaction with cosmetic outcomes 4 weeks postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: With appropriate perioperative precautions, open craniosynostosis surgery can be performed with minimal complications, low recurrence rates, and satisfactory cosmetic outcomes. Additional population-level data are needed to better characterize craniosynostosis patterns and outcomes in the Middle East.

Dermoid cyst of the tongue: an association of dermoid cyst with bronchogenic epithelium.

A congenital dermoid together with a bronchogenic cyst of the tongue is extremely rare. The diagnosis made in this case of a 1-year-old boy was "teratoid cyst of the tongue". A surgical exploration was performed under general anaesthesia via a midline sagittal glossotomy. The tumour was completely dissected and excised, the microscopical examination of the surgical specimen revealed multiple cystic cavities lined by a keratinized squamous epithelium with skin appendages and fatty tissue. Others were composed of cylindrical, ciliated epithelial cells of respiratory type. This is the third reported case in the world literature. All cases were reviewed and compared with this case.