Preliminary experience with the percutaneous embolization of juvenile angiofibromas using only ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (Onyx) for preoperative devascularization prior to surgical resection.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Juvenile angiofibromas are hypervascular tumors that may benefit from preoperative devascularization to reduce intraoperative blood loss. Our purpose was to evaluate the extent of angiographic devascularization and intraoperative blood loss by using only Onyx for percutaneous juvenile angiofibroma tumor embolization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records and preoperative and postoperative imaging studies of a consecutive series of 9 patients with juvenile angiofibromas who were treated with preoperative embolization with direct percutaneous injection of Onyx followed by resection from a standard open surgical or endoscopic approach. RESULTS: Two Fisch type I, 1 Fisch type II, 5 Fisch type IIIa, and 1 Fisch type IVa tumor were treated. Complete devascularization was achieved in all cases percutaneously with only Onyx. There were no complications. The average intraoperative blood loss was 567.7 mL (range, 10-1700 mL). An average of 2.2 needles (range, 1-5 needles) was placed into the tumor. An average of 14.6 mL of Onyx (range, 2-25 mL) was injected into each tumor. Four Fisch type IIIa tumors were removed completely from only an ENE approach. CONCLUSIONS: Presurgical direct percutaneous embolization of a juvenile angiofibroma with only EVOH before surgical resection is safe and feasible. Our preliminary experience suggests that Onyx may offer a higher degree of devascularization compared with other embolic agents. This may facilitate an easier surgical resection with lower blood loss.

Usefulness of percutaneously injected ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer in conjunction with standard endovascular embolization techniques for preoperative devascularization of hypervascular head and neck tumors: technique, initial experience, and correlation with surgical observations.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Few reports have described the embolization of head and neck lesions by using direct percutaneous techniques. We report our preliminary experience in the direct percutaneous embolization of hypervascular head and neck tumors by using Onyx in conjunction with standard endovascular embolization techniques. We describe the technical aspects of the procedure and its efficacy in reducing intraoperative blood loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 14 patients (3 females and 11 males; mean age, 33.4 years; range, 11-56 years) with 15 hypervascular tumors of the head and neck that underwent direct percutaneous embolization with Onyx in conjunction with particulate embolization. Nine paragangliomas and 6 JNAs underwent treatment. Documented blood loss was obtained from operative reports in these 15 patients with surgical resection performed 24-48 hours after the embolization. RESULTS: Intratumoral penetration with progressive blood flow stasis was achieved during each injection. A mean of 3.1 needles (20-gauge, 3.5-inch spinal needle) were placed percutaneously into the lesion (range, 1-6). The mean intraoperative blood loss was 780 mL (range, <50-2200 mL). Near total angiographic devascularization was achieved in 13 of 15 tumors. There were no local complications or neurologic deficits from the percutaneous access or embolization of these hypervascular tumors. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the use of percutaneous injected Onyx in conjunction with standard endovascular embolization techniques in patients with hypervascular head and neck tumors seemed to enhance the ability to devascularize these tumors before operative removal.

Penetrating injury of the cheek requiring skull base exploration.

We report a case of a very unusual penetrating injury of the middle third of the face. The patient was involved in a road traffic accident, and the indicator control lever became impaled in his right cheek. There was contralateral orbital damage resulting in loss of sight. The cribriform plate was breached and a pneumoencephalocele ensued. We discuss the modern management of such injuries including injury assessment. We emphasize the importance of crash scene information gathering and analysis of injury mechanisms. Facial injury zonal classification and imaging are reviewed in the context of the case. We discuss the reasons that led us to treat this patient via the subcranial approach.

Correction of nonsyndromal craniosynostosis.

Correction of craniosynostosis requires close collaboration between the craniofacial surgeon and the neurosurgeon. Typically, nonsyndromal craniosynostosis patients will require only one operation to correct the cranial vault deformity. The procedures usually are undertaken between 3 and 6 months of age. Any gaps are filled in with new bone because the dura is highly osteogenic. The early correction of these deformities can avoid future facial deformities as a result of restricted skull base growth causing maxillary and secondary mandibular deformities.

The transglabellar/subcranial approach to the anterior skull base: a review of 72 cases.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the transglabellar/subcranial approach to the anterior skull base and to compare it with more traditional approaches to craniofacial resection. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of 72 cases at 2 academic medical centers. The main parameters analyzed were the disease entities treated, the average operating room time, the average amount of blood loss, the number of transfusions, the length of intensive care unit and hospital stays, and complication rates. These were compared with published data for traditional craniofacial approaches. SETTING: All patients were operated on by the authors in collaboration with neurosurgical teams at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, and the University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor. PATIENTS: The transglabellar/subcranial approach was performed 72 times in 69 patients in this series. Forty-two procedures in 40 patients were performed for malignant disease and 30 procedures in 29 patients were performed for benign entities. Patients' ages ranged from 2 to 78 years. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 4 years, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year for survivors. RESULTS: There were no operative mortalities. Operating time, average amount of blood loss, length of hospital and intensive care unit stays, and complication rates compared favorably with published results of traditional craniofacial resections. CONCLUSIONS: The transglabellar/subcranial approach to the anterior skull base may be a reasonable technique for the surgical management of lesions in the region of the anterior skull base. It provides excellent exposure of the nasal cavity, the orbits, and the ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses, while allowing wide access to the anterior fossa with a minimum amount of frontal lobe retraction.

Radiation concurrent with gemcitabine for locally advanced head and neck cancer: a phase I trial and intracellular drug incorporation study.

PURPOSE: To examine the feasibility and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of once-weekly gemcitabine at doses predicted in preclinical studies to produce radiosensitization, concurrent with a standard course of radiation for locally advanced head and neck cancer. Tumor incorporation of gemcitabine triphosphate (dFdCTP) was measured to assess whether adequate concentrations were achieved at each dose level. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with unresectable head and neck cancer received a course of radiation (70 Gy over 7 weeks, 5 days weekly) concurrent with weekly infusions of low-dose gemcitabine. Tumor biopsies were performed after the first gemcitabine infusion (before radiation started), and the intracellular concentrations of dFdCTP were measured. RESULTS: Severe acute and late mucosal and pharyngeal-related DLT required de-escalation of gemcitabine dose in successive patient cohorts receiving dose levels of 300 mg/m(2)/wk, 150 mg/m(2)/wk, and 50 mg/m(2)/wk. No DLT was observed at 10 mg/m(2)/wk. The rate of endoscopy- and biopsy-assessed complete tumor response was 66% to 87% in the various cohorts. Tumor dFdCTP levels were similar in patients receiving 50 to 300 mg/m(2) (on average, 1.55 pmol/mg, SD 1.15) but were barely or not detectable at 10 mg/m(2). CONCLUSION: A high rate of acute and late mucosa-related DLT and a high rate of complete tumor response were observed in this regimen at the dose levels of 50 to 300 mg/m(2), which also resulted in similar, subcytotoxic intracellular dFdCTP concentrations. These results demonstrate significant tumor and normal tissue radiosensitization by low-dose gemcitabine. Different regimens of combined radiation and gemcitabine should be evaluated, based on newer preclinical data promising an improved therapeutic ratio.

Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma: case series and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: We report on four cases of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC), a relatively newly described clinicopathological entity of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. SNUC tends to present with advanced-stage disease, often with intracranial invasion, and requires an aggressive treatment approach that includes surgical resection. A review of the literature identified several reports of SNUC in pathology and otolaryngology journals since its initial description in 1986, but no report has yet appeared in the neurosurgery literature. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Four patients presented with various symptoms related to the nose and/or orbit, including one or more of the following: obstruction, epistaxis, decreased visual acuity, diplopia, and pain. All patients were noted to have masses in the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses, with or without intracranial extension. INTERVENTION: All four patients underwent multimodal treatment with chemotherapy, radiotherapy (60-65 Gy), and aggressive surgical resection via a combined bifrontal craniotomy and a subcranial approach to the anterior cranial fossa. Three of four patients died as a result of their disease, an average of 15 months after diagnosis. Only one patient remains alive, although with metastatic intracranial disease, at 24 months after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: SNUC is a rare neoplasm with a poor prognosis despite an aggressive multimodal approach to treatment. On the basis of our experience, we advocate radical resection as part of the initial combined therapy for patients who present with locally advanced, nonmetastatic disease but we suggest reserving surgery for patients with early brain invasion until there has been a radiographically proven central nervous system response to adjuvant therapy.

Fate of rigid fixation in pediatric craniofacial surgery.

The advantages of rigid fixation in adult craniofacial surgery are well documented, and implanted hardware is not routinely removed unless specifically indicated. There is a tendency, however, to remove hardware in children because of concerns with growth restriction, plate migration, and the lack of information on the fate of miniplates when used in pediatric craniofacial surgery. It has been our practice during the past decade not to remove hardware in children unless specifically indicated. Our study included a total of 121 procedures in 96 children, with an average age of 3.9 years and an average follow-up of 5 years. We placed 375 titanium plates and 1944 screws from 3 manufacturers. Complications encountered in children with titanium plates were as follows: 5 cases of delayed growth and 1 instance of restricted growth, 4 screw migrations (none intracranial), 9 palpable plates causing pain, 3 fluid accumulations over plates, 2 cases of meningitis, and 8 instances of plate and screw removal from the above complications. Twenty-two of 96 patients (23%) had a total of 27 complications from 121 procedures (22%). There were 6 cases in which pain precipitated removal of hardware, 1 case of an excessively mobile plate, and 1 case of documented growth restriction requiring removal; therefore our overall reoperation rate for plate removal was 8%, with no intracranial plate or screw migration.

Use of hydroxyapatite bone cement to prevent cerebrospinal fluid leakage through the frontal sinus: technical report.

OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of a simple technique of frontal sinus obliteration during low frontal craniotomy using hydroxyapatite cement instead of more traditional methods, such as pericranial flaps, free muscle or adipose grafts, lumbar drainage, or fibrin glue. METHODS: Eight patients undergoing low frontal craniotomy for intradural surgery had the frontal sinus obliterated by careful removal of mucosa followed by filling of the sinus with hydroxyapatite bone cement. No other adjuncts for preventing cerebrospinal fluid leakage through the sinus were used. RESULTS: At an average follow-up of 9 months, there were no cerebrospinal fluid leaks, infections, instances of resorption, or cosmetic deformities. CONCLUSION: Hydroxyapatite bone cement seems to be a simple and effective method for frontal sinus obliteration and prevention of cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

Critical pathways in anterior cranial base surgery.

New advances in anterior cranial base surgery have dictated the need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of lesions of this area, necessitating multiple modes of diagnostic and surgical techniques. Traditional consideration of the complex problems presented by neoplastic involvement of the anterior cranial base predicated on isolated syndrome analysis is no longer sufficient to adequately assess tumor pathology. To address these complex problems, we discuss a method of localization of pathology based on anatomic structure and function as well as the corresponding surgical approach to the anterior cranial base.

Subcranial approach to tumors of the anterior cranial base: analysis of current and traditional surgical techniques.

Tumors of the anterior cranial base have previously required a craniofacial resection to allow adequate tumor extirpation. An analysis of current and traditional techniques demonstrates a significant reduction in operative time, complication rate, and intensive care unit and total hospital length of stay with the use of the subcranial approach as compared with the traditional frontal craniotomy and lateral rhinotomy approach. The subcranial approach is both cost and time efficient and provides comparable morbidity and mortality rates.

Craniofacial resection: decreased complication rate with a modified subcranial approach.

The authors have successfully utilized a modified subcranial approach to the anterior skull base, based upon the procedure first described by Joram Raveh, as an alternative to standard craniofacial resection. The complication rate of this procedure in 31 consecutive cases (28 tumors, 2 congenital malformations, and 1 mucocele) has been 19.4% with no permanent complications, no deaths, no new neurological deficits, no brain injuries, no infections, and no seizures. Minor complications without permanent sequelae included two cases of tension pnenmocephalus, a subdural hygroma, two transient cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and a case of bacterial meningitis secondary to fecal contamination of a lumbar drain in a child. Average length of hospitalization was 7.1 days (range 2 to 16 days). The overall complication rate is considerably below the complication rate for other reported craniofacial procedures. We describe the technique we have used and the results. The subcranial approach as described herein provides wide exposure of the anterior cranial base without brain retraction, does not require prolonged operating times or hospitalization, and has a potentially lower complication rate than reported for other transfrontal transbasal approaches.

Outcome analysis of the transglabellar/subcranial approach for lesions of the anterior cranial fossa: a comparison with the classic craniotomy approach.

The classic approach to anterior skull base lesions uses bifrontal craniotomies together with lateral rhinotomies. This approach requires frontal lobe retraction and is associated with postoperative anosmia and the development of frontal lobe encephalomalacia. The transglabellar/subcranial approach permits removal of anterior skull base lesions without frontal lobe retraction and avoids facial scars. No studies to date, however, have directly compared the two approaches in terms of patient morbidity. The present retrospective study compares the two approaches when used for the removal of anterior skull base lesions in terms of estimated blood loss, number of transfusions, number of days in the hospital and intensive care unit, and postoperative complications. Twenty patients with anterior skull base lesions were examined. The classic approach was used on 10, and the transglabellar/subcranial route was used on 10. When compared with the classic approach, the transglabellar/subcranial approach resulted in a lower estimated blood loss and subsequent transfusion rate, fewer days in the hospital and intensive care unit, and lower numbers and less severe types of complications. Furthermore, visualization of the tumors before resection with the transglabellar/subcranial approach allowed preservation of olfaction in virtually all of these patients. Although this study represents a small sample population, the results are sufficiently impressive to favor the transglabellar/subcranial approach for the removal of a variety of anterior skull base lesions.

Osteoradionecrosis of the anterior cranium.

Osteoradionecrosis occurs in approximately 10% to 15% of patients following radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. In these patients, it is most commonly reported in sites involving the mandible, but it has also been reported in the maxilla, sphenoid, and temporal bones. The majority of these cases are related to some type of trauma such as dental extraction or intraoral biopsies. However, approximately 40% of these entities occur spontaneously and are felt to be secondary to cell kill in intermediate tissues such as bone and periosteum. Our literature review yielded no previously reported cases of osteoradionecrosis involving the anterior cranium. The following two cases present patients who experienced osteoradionecrosis of their frontal bone flaps following subcranial approaches for tumor resection. Both patients suffered from carcinomas involving the ethmoid sinuses; one tumor was a moderately well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, the other a mucinous adenocarcinoma. One patient's radiation therapy consisted of external beam photons; the other patient received external beam neutrons. Treatment for these patients, as well as possible causative factors regarding their osteoradionecrosis, are discussed.

Supplemental maxillomandibular fixation with miniplate osteosynthesis.

Monocortical miniplate fixation provides biomechanical fixation of mandibular fractures. The ability of this system to adequately fixate fractures clinically has not been fully accepted. We analyzed our use of supplemental maxillomandibular fixation with miniplate osteosynthesis during a 5-year period, in 287 patients with 499 mandible fractures. A retrospective, matched pairing of identical fractures fixated with identical plating-schemes was carried out. Sixty-five pairs of patients undergoing intraoral monocortical plating were identified. Patients in group 1 were treated with supplemental maxillomandibular fixation after surgery, whereas patients in group 2 were treated without postoperative maxillomandibular fixation. The rate of major complications was 11% with supplemental maxillomandibular fixation and 9% without supplemental maxillomandibular fixation (p > 0.05). The total rate of complications was 17% with supplemental maxillomandibular fixation and 20% without supplemental maxillomandibular fixation (p > 0.05). No statistically significant outcome advantage could be attributed to the use of maxillomandibular fixation.

Intraoral monocortical miniplating of mandible fractures.

OBJECTIVE: Intraoral monocortical miniplate fixation of mandibular fractures provides simultaneous visualization of the fracture and occlusal relation, while almost eliminating external incisions and potential compromise of the marginal mandibular nerve. We sought to analyze the outcome of our patients treated with this technique and compare this with literature standards for mandible fracture repair outcome. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of outcomes for a case series. SETTING: All treatment performed in inner city, level 1 or 2 trauma rated, teaching hospitals. PATIENTS: During a 5-year period, 287 patients with 499 mandible fractures were treated with intraoral miniplates. Follow-up criteria was available for a retrospective analysis of 246 patients with 432 fractures of the mandible. INTERVENTION: Intraoral monocortical plating techniques were used to treat 313 of these 432 mandibular fractures. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All complications of bone union, occlusion, wound infection, and dehiscence were graded and tabulated. RESULTS: On analysis of the miniplated fractures, 1.2% of the patients had delayed union, 0.4% had non-union, 6.5% had postoperative wound infection develop, and 4.1% had varying degrees of malunion. Complication rates are comparable with most reported studies of bicortical and monocortical plating of mandible fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Monocortical miniplate fixation is a reliable method of providing rigid fixation. It offers a reasonable alternative to bicortical plating in most mandible fractures.