Primary aspergillosis of the sphenoid sinus with pituitary invasion – a rare differential diagnosis of sellar lesions

Summary Aspergillosis belongs to the group of mycotic diseases of paranasal sinuses. The invasive forms, and particularly the fulminant forms, are potentially fatal. Isolated aspergillosis of the sphenoid sinus or the clivus is a difficult diagnosis, since the often misleading clinical manifestations of this rare disease develop late. These patients become apparent by neurological signs such as cavernous sinus syndrome, pseudotumor of the pituitary or the orbit. Diagnosis is often made intra-operatively or on histological examination. We report a case of invasive aspergillosis uniquely involving the sellar area revealed by clinical features suggesting a pseudotumor of the pituitary. Although such lesions are almost always seen in immune suppressed subjects, in our case, the patient was immune competent and had no past history of sinusitis. The question of whether, and when to perform limited or extensive surgery remains an issue for discussion, owing to the rarity of this disease honed by lack of experience. It depends on several factors: the kind of disease, the immunity, the subtype of invasive fungal sinusitis and the degree of tissue invasion.     

Bilateral choanal atresia and paranasal sinus hypoplasia in an adult patient with hypogammaglobulinaemia

We present an unusual case of a young female patient presenting with bilateral choanal atresia, which was probably acquired, associated with nasal and paranasal sinus hypoplasia and hypogammaglobulinaemia.     

Major complications of functional endoscopic sinus surgery

The results of a postal questionnaire indicate an exponential rise in the practice of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) in the UK and a major complication rate of 0.23%. Cerebrospinal fluid leak was the most common serious complication accounting for 24 of the 36 reports.     

Anatomic variations of surgical importance in ethmoid labyrinth and sphenoid sinus. A study of radiological anatomy

Summary The present study was performed on axial and coronal CT scans of 100 patients, most of whom were affected by nasal polyposis. Five observers had to analyse the radiograms and answer a questionnaire including the following items: presence of a supraorbital recess; identification of anterior and posterior ethmoidal canals; dehiscences in the lamina papyracea; pneumatized middle turbinate; presence of a spheno-maxillary plate; presence of Haller's cells; presence of Onodi's cells; relationships of the optic canal; relationships of the internal carotid artery; relationships of the maxillary nerve; relationships of the vidian nerve; level difference between the ethmoid roof and nasal vault; depth of the sphenoethmoidal recess. The data obtained were compared with those drawn from anatomical studies. The fair agreement between them proves the value of CT as an alternative method for studying paranasal sinuses anatomy.

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Anatomie radiologique des variations du labyrinthe ethmoïdal et du sinus sphénoïdal et leurs conséquences chirurgicales

Résumé Cette étude a été réalisée sur 100 patients dont la plupart présentait une polypose nasale étudiée en coupes T D M axiale et coronale. Cinq lecteurs ont revu les clichés et répondu au questionnaire suivant: présence d'un récessus supra orbitaire; identification des canaux ethmoïdaux antérieur et postérieur; déhiscence de la lame papyracée; pneumatisation du cornet moyen; présence d'un plateau sphéno maxillaire; présence de cellules de Haller; présence de cellules d'Onodi; rapports du canal optique; rapports de l'artère carotide interne; rapports du nerf maxillaire; rapports du nerf vidien; dénivelé entre le toit ethmoïdal et le toit nasal; profondeur du récessus sphéno-ethmoïdal. Les données obtenues ont été comparées avec celles provenant de travaux anatomiques. La concordance acceptable entre les deux démontre la valeur du scanner comme méthode d'étude alternative de l'anatomie des sinus para nasaux.

     

Adenocarcinomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses: a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of 14 cases

Aims : To evaluate the clinicopathological profile of 14 cases of nasal and paranasal sinusal adenocarcinoma, and to assess the usefulness of immunohistochemistry in the differential diagnosis of primary and metastatic intestinal-type adenocarcinoma.
Methods and results : Fourteen cases of nasal and paranasal adenocarcinoma, treated at IPOFG, Lisbon, between 1976 and 2002, were studied. Clinical records were reviewed and expression of cytokeratin (CK)7 and CK20 and of neuroendocrine markers was evaluated. The male : female ratio was 3 : 1, and the mean age of the patients was 65.3 years. Ten cases occurred in the paranasal sinuses. There was a history of professional exposure to dust in three patients. Twelve cases were high-grade intestinal type adenocarcinomas (ITAC) and two were low-grade. CK7 was present in 2/9 ITAC cases and CK20 in 8/9 ITAC and in cases of mixed and mucinous histology. All high-grade cases showed neuroendocrine differentiation. Seven of the 12 patients with high-grade adenocarcinoma died of the disease, with a mean follow-up of 47.4 months.
Conclusions : Nasal and paranasal adenocarcinoma mostly occurs in men in the 7th decade. ITAC is the most frequent histological type. The pattern of CK7/CK20 was not useful in the distinction between primary and metastatic intestinal adenocarcinoma. However, in the former, neuroendocrine differentiation proved to be a valuable tool in that distinction.     

双进路鼻窦内窥镜下治疗上颌窦良性占位性病变(附22例报告)

目的 :探讨处理上颌窦良性病变的一种较好进路。方法 :采用经犬齿窝进路和扩大自然窦口的方法对双侧上颌窦良性占位性病变进行治疗。结果 :经 3个月至 2年的术后随访 ,无 1例复发 ,自然窦口无闭锁。结论 :采用双进路治疗上颌窦良性占位性病变 ,视野清楚 ,操作方便 ,效果好 ,值得临床推广应用。     

内镜鼻窦手术后局部应用Merogel对促进术腔黏膜上皮化的临床效果观察

目的　观察使用美国Xomed公司生产的Merogel(透明质酸 )作为内镜鼻窦手术后的术腔填塞物对促进术腔上皮化的作用。方法　对 16例 (32侧 )经鼻内镜全鼻窦开放术患者进行同体对照观察 ,左侧为Merogel观察组 ,右侧为空白对照组 ,连续内镜随访 12周 ,观察双侧术腔上皮化过程。结果　Merogel侧治愈 93 75 % ,好转 6 2 5 % ,平均上皮化时间 3 4周 ;对照侧治愈 87 5 0 % ,好转12 5 0 % ,平均上皮化时间 8 3周。表明使用Merogel侧术腔上皮化时间比对照组明显缩短。结论　内镜鼻窦手术后局部使用Merogel ,可以促进术腔上皮化过程     

Clinical Classification as a Guide to Treatment of Sinusitis in Children

Evaluation of all 153 children undergoing CT scan of the paranasal sinuses for recalcitrant sinusitis symptoms between January 1988 and July 1992 was performed. Clinical categorization into groups of patients presenting with chronic sinusitis (CS) and recurrent acute sinusitis (RAS) was based upon pattern of disease and presentation. Clinical symptoms and signs, radiological examination, treatment, and outcome were compared between these distinct clinical groups. Eighty-two (55%) children were categorized as RAS and 68 (45%) as CS. Children with CS presented more frequently with a persistent cough, purulent nasal discharge, immune deficiency, and more severe mucosal disease on CT than children with RAS. Medical therapy successfully controlled the symptoms of sinusitis in 79 (96%) with RAS versus 27 (40%) with CS. Surgery was performed in 44 children: 3 (3.6%) with RAS versus 41 (60%) with CS, p<0.01. At a mean follow-up of 2.0 years, >80% of all the children were either asymptomatic or improved regardless of treatment modality. These data support the use of clinical classification as a guide to medical versus surgical therapy in children with sinusitis.     

Increased expression of α2-6 linked sialic acids by nasal mucins in allergic rhinitis

Mucins have a polypeptide backbone, oligosaccharide side-chains and peripheral structures that include sialic acids. Several pathogens have specific receptors for sialic acids, including human strains of influenza A virus which preferentially recognise and bind α2-6 linked rather than α2-3 linked sialic acids.¹ 1 NElson J., COuceiro S.S., PAulson J.C. & BAum L. (1993) Influenza virus strains selectively recognise sialyloligosaccharides on human respiratory epithelium; the role of the host cell in selection of haemagglutinin receptor specificity. The aim of this study was to identify possible disease-related changes in the expression of sialic acids in nasal mucins. Nasal mucosal samples were placed in organ culture. Metabolically-labelled mucins were purified by gel filtration, blotted on to nitrocellulose membranes and probed with the sialic acid-binding lectins Sambucus nigra and Maackia amurensis. Ninety-five mucosal samples were collected (49 turbinates, 31 nasal polyps, 15 samples from FESS). Lectin binding, expressed as optical density, showed significantly increased binding of S. nigra to cellular (P = 0.02; Kruskal–Wallis) and secreted (P = 0.045) mucin from allergic mucosa compared to non-allergic mucosa. No significant differences were found in the binding patterns of M. amurensis. This study has demonstrated increased expression of α2-6 linked sialic acids in the mucins synthesised and secreted by allergic compared to non-allergic nasal mucosa. This may cause a change in the way mucins and pathogens interact in allergic rhinitis, leading to altered susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infection.     

A study on the clinical profile and management of inverted Papilloma

Inverted Papilloma is a unique neoplasm characterized by its tendency to destroy bone, tendency to recur after incomplete removal and association with malignancy. The uncertainty of its clinical features and projected behaviour has resulted in an ill-defined approach to its management. This is a prospective study of 30 patients of Inverted Papilloma admitted at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal between August 2001 to July 2003. In this study, meticulous attention is given to the clinical presentation and management in a series of 30 patients with inverted papilloma. A majority of patients were between 50–70 years (40%) with a mean age of 52.3 years. M: F Ratio=3.3:1. Commonest presenting symptoms were unilateral nasal obstruction (93.3%), nasal discharge (40%) and epistaxis (36.6%). 90% of the patients had signs of involvement of the nasal cavity with one or more sinuses and 46% showed bony erosion on C.T. Scan studies. Surgery was the treatment of choice in 90% of the cases.