Paranasal sinus aspergillosis: its categorization to develop a treatment protocol. Nasennebenhohlen-Aspergillose: Kategorisiertes Behandlungsprotokoll

Complications of Isolated Fungal Sphenoiditis: Patient Clinical Characteristics

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with complications of isolated fungal sphenoiditis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The records of patients diagnosed with isolated fungal sphenoiditis at Songklanagarind Hospital from January 2004 to December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Data related to demographics, clinical presentation, underlying disease, type of complication, surgical procedure, and clinical outcome were collected.

RESULTS

Among the 35 participating patients, complications were found at a rate of 40%. The most common complication was visual loss (71.43%). We also compared the clinical characteristics between patients with and without complications via univariate analysis. The enrolled patients consisted of 12 men and 23 women (1:2). The mean age was older in the complications group 64 (41-84) vs. 57.43 (36-81) years, respectively. Underlying diabetes mellitus and complete opacity of the sphenoid sinus were factors that related significantly to the occurrence of complications. After treatment, 35.72% of the participants made a complete recovery; underlying diabetes mellitus was associated with a poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

This report indicates that practitioners must be careful of complications arising in elderly and female patients with isolated fungal sphenoiditis, who have a complete opacity of the sphenoid sinus and underlying diabetes mellitus.

Fungus Ball of the Maxillary Sinus-Modern Treatment by Osteoplastic Approach and Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

PURPOSE

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is considered standard surgical therapy for fungus ball of the maxillary sinus. However, recent findings have indicated an odontogenic etiology, which requires simultaneous treatment of the dental origin. This study presents the authors' treatment results of fungus ball of the maxillary sinus using a combination of FESS and an endoscopically assisted osteoplastic approach through the anterior wall of the maxillary sinus, enabling simultaneous treatment of the dental origin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cohort of 22 patients with histopathologically confirmed fungus ball of the maxillary sinus was retrospectively analyzed. Clinical records and medical imaging data were reviewed to evaluate the etiology, clinical and radiologic findings, and postoperative outcome.

RESULTS

Only 15 patients presented nonspecific clinical symptoms compatible with chronic unilateral maxillary sinusitis. Computed tomography visualized complete opacity of the maxillary sinus in 11 patients and intralesional hyperdensity in 12 patients. An odontogenic association was verified in 18 patients. Twenty-one patients underwent endoscopically assisted osteoplastic surgery through the anterior maxillary sinus wall. In 12 cases, the assumed persistent odontogenic source was treated simultaneously. Depending on the patency of the ostiomeatal complex, the accompanying chronic sinusitis was treated by FESS.

CONCLUSIONS

The present data support the assumption of an odontogenic etiology of fungus ball of the maxillary sinus. Hence, surgical management requires simultaneous treatment of the fungal mass, the odontogenic origin of the disease, and the accompanying chronic sinusitis. To properly treat fungus ball, the authors present a modern treatment concept, using a minimally invasive endoscopically assisted osteoplastic approach through the anterior maxillary wall, for sufficient and necessary surgical treatment.

Entities of Chronic and Granulomatous Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis: Separate or Not?

Background

Chronic and granulomatous invasive fungal rhinosinusitis are important causes of blindness and craniocerebral complications. However, the classification of these 2 diseases remains controversial.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed patients with chronic and granulomatous invasive fungal rhinosinusitus in a Chinese tertiary hospital from 2009 to 2017, with a focus on classification and comparisons.

Results

Among 55 patients enrolled in our study, 11 (11/55, 20%) had granulomatous invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (GIFRS) and 44 (44/55, 80%) had chronic invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (CIFRS). Aspergillus fumigatus and Dematiaceous hyphomycetes were identified in 2 patients with GIFRS. Compared with granulomatous type, CIFRS was more frequently encountered in immunocompromised patients (P = .022), and the time from onset to diagnosis was much shorter (P = .001). Proptosis and orbital apex syndrome showed no significant difference between granulomatous and CIFRS in our study. The treatment options and prognosis of both diseases also showed no significant difference.

Conclusions

Despite the consensus on histopathology, the classification of the chronic and granulomatous types may need further evaluation in clinical considerations.

Headache Secondary to Isolated Sphenoid Sinus Fungus Ball: Retrospective Analysis of 6 Cases First Diagnosed in the Neurology Department

Fungal sphenoid sinusitis is easily misdiagnosed in clinic, particularly for patients with normal immunological status. Due to the anatomic characteristics of sphenoid sinus, patients presented with various nonspecific symptoms and complications. Headache is the most common presentation, but location of headache is not fixed. We intended to analyze 6 cases of headache secondary to the isolated sphenoid sinus fungus ball (SSFB) which were first diagnosed in the Neurology Department. There was significant female predominance with mean ages of 55 years. They had repeatedly headache history from months to years. The headache was unilateral and usually on the side of lesions. Medication of pain relievers worked well in the beginning of SSFB, but not in the late stage of disease. Notably, all patients did not present positive nervous systemic signs. A preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated the inflammation in sphenoid sinus. Some cases showed calcification in soft tissue or bone lesions of sinus wall. All of 6 patients undertook transnasal endoscopic sphenoidotomy without antifungal therapy after operation. Characteristic fungus ball (FB) was detected after histopathological examination. No headache recurrence was found after average 15.5 months follow-up. Our results suggested that transnasal endoscopic sphenoidotomy is the treatment of choice to remove the FB in sphenoid sinus with a low rate of morbidity and recurrence.

Chronic sphenoid rhinosinusitis: management challenge

Chronic sphenoid rhinosinusitis is a spectrum of inflammatory diseases in isolated sphenoid sinus which may persist over a period of 12 weeks. It is a different entity from other types of rhinosinusitis because clinical presentations include headache, visual loss or diplopia, and patients may or may not have nasal obstruction or nasal discharge. Nasal endoscopic examination is useful, and computed tomography is mandatory. The disease requires comprehensive knowledge and appropriate imaging technique for diagnosis. To treat patients with chronic sphenoid rhinosinusitis, surgical treatment with endoscopic transnasal sphenoidotomy is often required. As there are no recent updated reviews of chronic sphenoid rhinosinusitis, in this article, we review the anatomy of the sphenoid sinus and its clinical relationship with the clinical signs and symptoms of the disease, the imaging findings of each diagnosis and the comprehensive surgical techniques.

Comparative study of orbital involvement in invasive and non-invasive fungal sinusitis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate differences in orbital involvement in patients with invasive versus non-invasive fungal sinusitis.

METHOD

One hundred consecutive cases of fungal sinusitis were assessed clinically and by computed tomography scan to evaluate orbital involvement.

RESULTS

Clinical orbital involvement was more common in invasive (73.5 per cent) than non-invasive (12.1 per cent) fungal sinusitis (p = 0.000). Computed tomography scanning showed similar orbital involvement in both groups, except for erosion of the floor of the orbit, which was more common in patients with invasive fungal sinusitis (p = 0.01). Extra-ocular muscle enlargement (44.4 vs 4 per cent, p = 0.01) and optic atrophy (44.4 vs 0 per cent, p = 0.003) were more common in chronic than acute invasive fungal sinusitis. Four patients (16 per cent) with acute invasive fungal sinusitis had no evidence of orbital involvement on scanning, despite clinical evidence of optic atrophy.

CONCLUSION

Orbital involvement is more common in invasive than non-invasive fungal sinusitis. The difference is more evident clinically than on computed tomography scanning. Patients with acute invasive fungal sinusitis may have limited evidence of orbital involvement on scanning, despite extensive clinical disease.

Th1 and Th2 cytokines in a self-healing primary pulmonary Aspergillus flavus infection in BALB/c mice

Studies with non-immunocompromised mice have demonstrated that Aspergillus flavus is more virulent than almost all other Aspergillus species. However, the type of immune response this fungus induces in mammals has not been investigated thoroughly. The study was carried out to analyze the sequential pathogenesis of pulmonary A. flavus infection and the role of cytokines in host response in BALB/c mice. Two distinct phases were observed in mice: First, an intense rate of clearance of A. flavus occurred, most likely through recruited neutrophils and the resident alveolar macrophages with concurrent release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and second, fungal and cellular debris were cleaned by recruited monocytes, pro-inflammatory cytokine production rapidly decreased and infection self-healed. The pro-inflammatory cytokine IFN-γ demonstrated an upward trend up to 24h PI followed by a steady decline. The titers of TNF-α (a pro-inflammatory Th1 cytokine) were, however, inversely related to the titers of IL-10 an anti-inflammatory Th2 cytokine. The anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 showed slightly decreasing trend between 12 and 48 h PI, beyond that it again reached to the titers observed at 6h PI. The infected mice produced signs of Th1 type response with self healing capabilities.

Invasive aspergillosis in developing countries

To review invasive aspergillosis (IA) in developing countries, we included those countries, which are mentioned in the document of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), called the Emerging and Developing Economies List, 2009. A PubMed/Medline literature search was performed for studies concerning IA reported during 1970 through March 2010 from these countries. IA is an important cause of morbidity and mortality of hospitalized patients of developing countries, though the exact frequency of the disease is not known due to inadequate reporting and facilities to diagnose. Only a handful of centers from India, China, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, South Africa, Turkey, Hungary, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina had reported case series of IA. As sub-optimum hospital care practice, hospital renovation work in the vicinity of immunocompromised patients, overuse or misuse of steroids and broad-spectrum antibiotics, use of contaminated infusion sets/fluid, and increase in intravenous drug abusers have been reported from those countries, it is expected to find a high rate of IA among patients with high risk, though hard data is missing in most situations. Besides classical risk factors for IA, liver failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and tuberculosis are the newly recognized underlying diseases associated with IA. In Asia, Africa and Middle East sino-orbital or cerebral aspergillosis, and Aspergillus endophthalmitis are emerging diseases and Aspergillus flavus is the predominant species isolated from these infections. The high frequency of A. flavus isolation from these patients may be due to higher prevalence of the fungus in the environment. Cerebral aspergillosis cases are largely due to an extension of the lesion from invasive Aspergillus sinusitis. The majority of the centers rely on conventional techniques including direct microscopy, histopathology, and culture to diagnose IA. Galactomannan, β-D glucan test, and DNA detection in IA are available only in a few centers. Mortality of the patients with IA is very high due to delays in diagnosis and therapy. Antifungal use is largely restricted to amphotericin B deoxycholate and itraconazole, though other anti-Aspergillus antifungal agents are available in those countries. Clinicians are aware of good outcome after use of voriconazole/liposomal amphotericin B/caspofungin, but they are forced to use amphotericin B deoxycholate or itraconazole in public-sector hospitals due to economic reasons.

Unusual otolaryngological manifestations of certain systemic bacterial and fungal infections in children

OBJECTIVE

Systemic bacterial and fungal infections may sometimes present local manifestations within otolaryngological district whose early detection may be useful in establishing a correct diagnosis and more appropriate treatment. This paper reviews certain systemic bacterial and fungal diseases presenting ENT manifestations in the pediatric population from an otolaryngological perspective.

METHODS

A medline searching for specific issues was performed in order to achieve more information as possible with regards to ENT manifestation of systemic bacterial and fungal infections. Limits for pediatric age were used. Two separate sections for bacterial and fungal disease are included. The section on systemic bacterial infections considers cat-scratch disease, Lyme borreliosis, actinomycosis, Lemierre's syndrome and congenital syphilis, and the section on systemic fungal infections includes candidiasis, aspergillosis and histoplasmosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatricians and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists, approaching head and neck disorders in children, should therefore consider them among the possible differential diagnoses. This means that physicians need to recognize the first head and neck manifestations of systemic infections promptly in order to be able to treat them efficaciously and avoid the dangerous systemic spreading of the infective process.

Sphenoid Fungus Balls: Clinical Presentation and Long-Term Follow-Up in 24 Patients

Fungus balls are a non-invasive form of fungal infection involving the maxillary sinus in most cases. Sphenoid sinus fungus balls (SSFB) are rare and their clinical presentation is not well described. We intended to define the clinical presentation of sphenoid fungus balls, and retrospectively reviewed 24 cases of SSFB seen at our institution over a 10-year period, identified through pathological reports. Presenting symptoms were separated into three groups: headache, rhinological and asymptomatic. Headaches were subdivided into acute and chronic, unilateral and diffuse. Radiological clues leading to diagnosis were reviewed. Prognosis was determined from medical files or by phone calls. Sixty-seven per cent of patients were female. The mean age at presentation was 65 years. Sixty-two per cent presented with headache, 36% unilateral, mainly in the first trigeminal branch territory. Rhinological symptoms were seen in 21%. In 16% of patients the SSFB was asymptomatic and found during routine tests. SSFB, even if noninvasive, did lead to recurrent bacterial infections and central nervous system complications in three patients. Of 15 patients presenting with headache, 10 were significantly improved post surgery. The prognosis is good, with no recurrence of fungal infection after a main follow-up of 2.3 years. Our study underlines that SSFB present with headaches, often unilateral and in the fronto-orbital region. Proper imaging of the sphenoid sinus is useful in patients with unexplained headache. The neurologist has to be aware of radiological clues suggesting fungal sinus infection, since surgery is the main treatment, with good prognosis and frequent resolution of headaches.

Sphenoid sinus aspergillosis simulating pituitary tumor in immunocompetent patient

Aspergillosis of the sphenoid sinus is rare in immunocompetent patients. It may be mistaken for a sellar region tumor. A 65-year-old, human immunodeficiency virus-negative man presented with a 3-week history of cranial nerve III paresis and visual deterioration. The patient had a long-term history of tobacco snuff abuse. CT scans and MRI demonstrated a space-occupying lesion of the sellar and sphenoid sinus region. Presumptive diagnosis of pituitary macroadenoma was made and the patient was operated on via a transnasal-transsphenoidal approach. After the sphenoid sinus was opened, a yellow-brownish gluey material with crumbly debris extruded and was aspirated. The dura was intact. Histopathology revealed numerous Aspergillus hyphae without tissue invasion. Postoperatively, the cranial nerve III paresis resolved in a few days and visual acuity improved. Sphenoid sinus aspergillosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of sellar region processes, even in immunocompetent patients. Early diagnosis and transsphenoidal removal provides good results without the need for systemic antifungal therapy in non-invasive aspergillosis.

Controversies surrounding the categorization of fungal sinusitis

Though rhinosinusitis is a common disorder, controversies surround the categorization of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and the role of fungus in CRS. The diagnosis of each category is important for optimum therapy and predicting the course. Based on histopathological findings, fungal rhinosinusitis (FRS) can be broadly divided into two categories: the invasive and non-invasive depending on invasion of the mucosal layer. Three types of FRS are tissue-invasive: acute invasive, chronic invasive, & granulomatous. The two non-invasive FRS disorders are fungal ball, and fungus related eosinophilic rhinosinusitis including allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS). The distinction of granulomatous from chronic invasive type is not beyond controversy as both types have a chronic course and predominant orbital involvement. Maximum confusion surrounds the entity of fungus-related eosinophilic rhinosinusitis, and the definition of AFRS. In the diagnosis of AFRS, the detection of fungi in allergic mucin is considered important, although hyphae are sparse in sinus content. This leads to confusion in definition of this entity, especially with the description of two more closely related entities--eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis (EFRS) and eosinophilic mucin rhinosinusitis (EMRS). Recently reports of histologic invasion in possible cases of AFRS were also documented. Currently, there are more questions than answers concerning the categorization of FRS.

Advances in management of paranasal sinus aspergillosis

Surgery remains the treatment of choice for mycetoma of the paranasal sinuses. Itraconazole has a useful role in reducing both the amount of surgery required and the amount of peri-operative bleeding in allergic aspergillosis, and continuing its use post-operatively for six weeks appears to reduce the recurrence rate (although a case–control study is required to validate this observation). In chronic invasive aspergillosis, itraconazole alone appears to be curative, although liver function tests should be monitored and other interactions considered. Imaging is required to monitor resolution; remineralisation occurs after approximately six months. In fulminant aspergillosis, radical surgery and amphotericin B continue to be the treatments of choice. This review discusses the management of aspergillosis of the paranasal sinuses, and in particular the role of itraconazole antifungal therapy.

Fungus balls of the paranasal sinuses: a review

In the past 30 years, thanks in part to the advance of both endoscopic technology and imaging possibilities, the classification, diagnosis, and management of rhinosinusitis caused by fungi have been better defined. These are basically divided into invasive and non-invasive forms based on the presence or absence of microscopic evidence of fungal hyphae within the tissues. Among the non-invasive fungal sinus diseases, fungus ball has been increasingly reported and large published series have allowed better characterization of the disease and the treatment strategies. Fungus ball of the paranasal sinuses is defined as the non-invasive accumulation of dense fungal concrements in sinusal cavities, most often the maxillary sinus. To describe this entity, confusing or misleading terms such as mycetoma, aspergilloma or aspergillosis would be best avoided. Clinical presentation is non-specific and the diagnosis is usually suspected on imaging studies. Surgical treatment, usually through an endonasal endoscopic approach, is curative. In this paper, we review the clinical, radiological, and pathological presentation of the fungus ball of the paranasal sinuses as well as the surgical management with emphasis on the transnasal endoscopic approach.

Results of rhinoscopy alone or in conjunction with sinuscopy in dogs with aspergillosis: 46 cases (2001-2004)

OBJECTIVE

To determine results of diagnostic testing, including detection of nasal or frontal sinus fungal plaques, in dogs with nasal aspergillosis.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

ANIMALS

46 dogs with nasal aspergillosis.

PROCEDURES

Medical records were reviewed for information on computed tomographic findings; rhinoscopic findings, including whether fungal plaques were seen in the nasal cavity; results of frontal sinus trephination and sinuscopy, including whether fungal plaques were seen in the frontal sinus; and results of histologic examination of biopsy specimens.

RESULTS

In 38 (83%) dogs, fungal plaques were seen in the nasal cavity during rhinoscopy, whereas in the remaining 8 (17%), fungal plaques were not seen in the nasal cavity but were seen in the frontal sinus. Duration of clinical signs, proportions of dogs in which the referring veterinarian had performed a nasal examination prior to referral, proportions of dogs with computed tomographic evidence of nasal cavity cavitation or sinus involvement, and proportions of dogs with rhinoscopic evidence of destructive rhinitis were not significantly different between dogs with nasal fungal plaques and dogs with fungal plaques only in the frontal sinus.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Results confirm that frontal sinus involvement is common in dogs with nasal aspergillosis and suggest that frontal sinus trephination and sinuscopy may aid in the diagnosis of aspergillosis in dogs, particularly dogs with rhinoscopic evidence of destructive rhinitis and computed tomographic evidence of sinus involvement that lack detectable fungal plaques in the nasal cavity.

Overview of fungal rhinosinusitis

The incidence of fungal rhinosinusitis has increased to such extent in recent years that fungal infection should be considered in all patients with chronic rhino sinusitis. In India though the disease was reported earlier only from northern regions of this country, nowadays the disease is increasingly diagnosed from other parts as well. The disease has been categorized with possible five types: acute necrothing (fulminant), chronic invasive, chronic granulomatous invasive, fungal hall (sinus mycetoma), allergic. The first three types are tissue-invasive and the last two are non-invasive fungal rhinosinusitis. However, the categorization is still controversial and open to discussion. Chronic fungal rhinosinusitis can occur in otherwise healthy host and Aspergillus flavus is the common etiological agent in Indian scenario. The pathophys iologic mechanism of the disease remains unclear. It may represent an allergic IgE response, a cell-mediated reaction, or a combination of two. Early diagnosis may prevent multiple surgical procedures and lead to effective treatment. Histopathology and radio-imaging techniques help to distinguish different types and delineate extension of disease process. Culture helps to identify the responsible etiological agent. The presence or absence oj precipitating antibody correlates well with disease progression or recovery. The most immediate need regarding management is to establish the respective roles of surgery and antifungal therapy. Non-invasive disease requires surgical debridement and sinus ventilation only, though, additional oral or local corticosterold therapy may be beneficial in allergie type. For invasive disease, the adjuvant medical therapy is recommended to prevent recurrence and further extension. Itraconazole has been found as an effective drug in such situation. Patients with acute neerotizing type require radical surgery and amphotericin B therapy.