Faculty Bibliography

Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) are unusual mesenchymal tumors that were first described as primary spindle-cell neoplasms of the pleura. These tumors have been described in many other locations, including the urogenital system, orbit, mediastinum, and upper respiratory tract. Twenty-two cases of an SFT of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity have been reported, but none described a malignant SFT extending through the anterior skull base. A 70-year-old man had a 6-month history of unilateral left-sided epiphora and nasal obstruction. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a large left-sided nasal cavity mass with extension into the left extraconal orbit and intracranial extension through the left cribriform plate and ethmoid roof. The patient underwent preoperative embolization of the internal maxillary artery and a subsequent anterior craniofacial resection via a midfacial degloving approach and a left anterior craniotomy. Histopathological analysis of the specimen was consistent with a malignant SFT

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The term idiopathic pseudotumor (IP) refers to a nonspecific, nonneoplastic inflammatory process without identifiable local or systemic causes, which is one of the most common causes of intraorbital space-occupying lesions. Occasionally, orbital pseudotumors may extend to other areas of the skull base. Rarely, pseudotumors may present as a skull base mass with no involvement of the orbit. The ophthalmology literature has detailed reviews of IP as an intraorbital space-occupying lesion, but lesions involving only the skull base and sparing the orbit are rare in the literature. We present a review of our experience with six patients with extraorbital skull base pseudotumor and a review of the relevant literature. METHOD: Retrospective case study. RESULTS: We treated six patients with extraorbital skull base pseudotumor between 1996 and 2004. Four patients had lesions in the pterygopalatine and/or infratemporal fossae, and two patients had lesions in the superior aspect of the parapharyngeal space. Five patients had excellent initial response to steroids. Two of the pseudotumors recurred. One patient partially responded to steroids and is currently stable with limited disease. Our literature review demonstrated 16 previously published reports of IP of the skull base sparing the orbit. CONCLUSIONS: A well-documented intraorbital lesion, inflammatory pseudotumor may present outside the orbit. Treatment of IP of the skull base is controversial and may involve corticosteroids or surgical resection, or both. Other chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy may be considered in steroid-resistant patients. Pathological subtype, ease and safety of resection, safety of high-dose corticosteroid use, the surgeon's comfort, and the patient's preference must be included in the decision-making process for treatment

CONTEXT: Post-obstructive pulmonary edema (PPE) is an uncommon complication which develops immediately after the onset of acute airway obstruction such as laryngospasm or epiglottitis (type I) or after the relief of chronic upper airway obstruction such as adenotonsillar hypertrophy (type II). OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of type I PPE following laryngospasm in pediatric and adult patients undergoing otolaryngologic surgical procedures other than those for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. DESIGN: Retrospective case series of 13 otolaryngology patients from 1996 to 2003. SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital and its affiliates. PATIENTS: 13 patients (4 children, 9 adults, 5 males, 8 females) ranging in age from 9 months to 48 years. RESULTS: Operative procedures included adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, removal of an esophageal foreign body, microlaryngoscopy with papilloma excision, endoscopic sinus surgery, septorhinoplasty, and thyroidectomy. Six patients required reintubation. Treatment included positive pressure ventilation, oxygen therapy, and diuretics. Seven patients were discharged within 24 hours and the others were discharged between 2 and 8 days postoperatively. There were no mortalities. CONCLUSION: Laryngospasm resulting in PPE may occur in both children and adults after various otolaryngologic procedures. Among the subgroup of children, our study is the first to report its occurrence in healthy children without sleep apnea undergoing elective surgery

PURPOSE: Inverted papillomas (IPs), although histologically benign, are aggressive lesions that may recur after an excision. The objective of this study was to compare the surgical treatment options for IPs with an emphasis on the experience of our institution with midfacial degloving (MFD) and medial maxillectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of the charts of patients with IP treated by MFD and medial maxillectomy was performed. An analysis of the recurrence rates of IPs in the literature for endoscopic surgery and lateral rhinotomy was also performed. RESULTS: Ninety-eight medial maxillectomy procedures via MFD were performed for IPs with a minimum of 2 years' follow-up (median = 5.1 years). Two patients were found to have recurrences (2.1%). The literature review revealed an average recurrence rate of 15.7% for lateral rhinotomy as compared with that of 19.6% for endoscopic surgery. CONCLUSION: Midfacial degloving balances acceptable cosmetic results with low recurrence rates. It allows for adequate exposure and resection without the scar of a lateral rhinotomy incision

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To assess the value of both patient- and tumor-related factors of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in predicting patient outcome, with respect to the three primary subsites of the disease. It was hypothesized that the subsite has a significant impact on outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Historical cohort study. METHODS: A chart review was conducted of 126 patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx over a 10-year period. The oropharynx was divided into the following subsites: 1) base of tongue, 2) tonsil and pillars, and 3) uvula, soft palate, and posterior pharyngeal wall. Patient-related factors included age and gender. Tumor-related factors included American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, T stage, N stage, and grade. These factors were compared using the end points of disease-free survival and treatment response (complete response or partial response/no response). RESULTS: Tumor-related factors such as American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (P = .016) and T stage (P = .008) had a significant impact on treatment response. The American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (P = .030) and the T stage (P = .005) were also significant predictors of disease-free survival. Base-of-tongue lesions responded significantly worse to treatment than did tonsil and pillar or uvula, soft palate, and posterior pharyngeal wall lesions (P = .014). The disease-free survival for base-of-tongue cancer was significantly worse than for tonsil and pillar or for uvula, soft palate, and posterior pharyngeal wall cancer (P = .010). CONCLUSION: Patient-related factors such as age and gender were not significant in predicting disease-specific outcome. Important tumor-related factors were the American Joint Committee on Cancer stage and the T stage. Among the oropharyngeal subsites, squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue was associated with the worst outcome

The technique of endoscopic transnasal, nontransseptal, transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is gaining increasing popularity. Many pituitary surgical teams consider it the procedure of choice. It provides a rapid and safe approach to the sella turcica. Within the sella turcica, the endoscopes give the surgeon the ability to inspect around the corner and to remove residual tumor. The procedure avoids the complications related to the sublabial transeptal approach. Hospital stay is shorter

OBJECTIVE: To determine if age alone is a prognostic indicator of surgical outcomes for major head and neck procedures. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study over a 4-year period. SETTING: Academic referral center, institutional practice, hospitalized care. PATIENTS: Included in this study were patients who had undergone ablative, reconstructive, and other major surgical procedures of the head and neck, including neck dissection, laryngectomy, maxillectomy, thyroidectomy with lymphadenectomy, and composite resection of the oral cavity with reconstruction, for both malignant and benign disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient data and intraoperative and postoperative course factors were recorded. Comorbidity was graded using an Adult Comorbidity Evaluation 27 test, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and American Society of Anesthesiology score. Postoperative complications were dichotomized, and multiple logistic regression was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Medical chart review identified 157 cases. Analysis of data revealed that time under general anesthesia was the only factor consistently related to complications (P<.006), and it was the only factor consistently related to length of stay (P<.001). Analysis of major complications (6% incidence) as an outcome using univariate analysis resulted in a strong positive correlation with both comorbidity indexes: Adult Comorbidity Evaluation 27 (P = .002) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (P = .005). Multiple logistic regression showed no significant relationship between age 70 years or older (20% of patients) and either complications or hospital length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Patient's age alone is not a prognostic indicator of surgical outcome for major head and neck procedures. However, comorbidity is an important predictive factor for postoperative complications in any age group. Time under general anesthesia showed a statistically significant relationship with complication rate and hospital length of stay in multivariate analyses. Consequently, prevention of complications should focus on optimizing preoperative comorbid conditions

OBJECTIVES: The sublabial transmaxillary approach to the pterygoid region was a popular one during the Caldwell-Luc, pre-endoscopic era. It was the procedure of choice for management of lesions of the pterygopalatine space, for internal maxillary artery ligation, and for vidian neurectomy. With the introduction of endoscopic instrumentation and techniques, the Caldwell-Luc procedure is rarely performed today. Also, because vidian neurectomy is performed less frequently, and because internal maxillary artery ligation for severe epistaxis has been replaced with transnasal endoscopic sphenopalatine artery ligation, the sublabial transmaxillary route is rarely used. We have found that combining the use of endoscopes via the sublabial approach and the transnasal endoscopic approach is very helpful for management of extreme lateral lesions of the sphenoid sinus, as well as the pterygoid region and the posterior orbit. METHODS: The records of patients who underwent a combined endoscopic transmaxillary-transnasal approach between 1994 and 2002 were reviewed. Indications for the procedure included extreme lateral sphenoid and pterygoid encephalocele (3 patients), pterygoid mucocele (2 patients), orbital apex lesion (2 patients), and pterygopalatine tumor (2 patients). RESULTS: Nine patients underwent the above-mentioned procedure. Wide and comfortable exposure of the involved region was achieved in all cases. Compared with the transnasal approach, the working distance, working comfort, and maneuverability of instruments were significantly enhanced. There were no major complications related to the approach. Because the maxillary wall opening is very small, infraorbital hypoesthesia is very limited and of short duration. CONCLUSIONS: Combining the transmaxillary and transnasal approaches for endoscopic management of pterygoid, lateral sphenoid, and retrobulbar orbit lesions provides excellent exposure and avoids the limited working angle and surgical struggle that may be associated with the use of the transnasal approach alone

Anterior craniofacial resection has become a standard procedure for management of lesions of the anterior skull base. During the last 2 decades, modifications of the classic anterior craniofacial resection have been reported. With the introduction of endoscopic sinus techniques and instrumentation, surgeons have begun to use endoscopic approaches for management of anterior skull base lesions. This article describes endoscopic modifications of anterior craniofacial resection