A huge Pott's puffy tumour secondary to pansinusitis

A Systematic Review of Intracranial Complications in Adults with Pott Puffy Tumor over Four Decades

The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk factors of intracranial complications in adult patients with Pott Puffy Tumor (PPT). A systematic review was conducted of clinical studies from January 1983 to December 2022 that reported on PPT adult patients. The full-text articles were reviewed for the patients’ ages, sex, cultured organisms, surgical procedures, clinical sequalae, and underlying diseases that may affect the onset of intracranial complications in PPT adult patients. A total of 106 studies were included. Medical data were reviewed for 125 patients (94 males, 31 females). The median age was 45 years. A total of 52% had comorbidities, mostly head trauma (24.5%), sinus/neurosurgical operations (22.4%), immunosuppression conditions (13.3%), diabetes mellitus (9.1%), cocaine use (7.1%), or dental infections (6.1%). A total of 28 cultures revealed Streptococcus (22.4%), 24 contained staphylococci (19.2%), and 22 cultures contained other pathogens (17.6%). An amount of 30.4% developed intracranial complications, with the most common being epidural abscesses or empyemas (55.3%), as well as subdural (15.7%) and extradural lesions (13.2%). Age, DM, and immunosuppression conditions are significantly associated with intracranial complications (p < 0.001, p = 0.018 and p = 0.022, respectively). Streptococcus infection is associated with intracranial complications (p = 0.001), although Staphylococcus and other microorganisms are not. Surgical intervention, mainly ESS, and broad-spectrum antibiotics remain the cornerstones of treatment.

Pott's Puffy Tumor

Pott's puffy tumor is a potential complication of acute frontal sinusitis, characterized by subperiosteal abscess and osteomyelitis of the frontal bone. It can be managed with a combination of open and endoscopic sinus surgery and intravenous antibiotic therapy. In the current report, a 15-year-old male presented with a classic case of Pott's puffy tumor which was managed with bilateral ethmoidectomies, frontal sinusotomies, and frontal sinus trephination, resulting in discharge on intravenous antibiotic therapy and subsequent complete resolution of symptoms.

Draf III frontal sinus surgery for the treatment of Pott's puffy tumour in adults: our case series and a review of frontal sinus anatomy risk factors

Purpose

We present our case series of four adult patients with Pott’s puffy tumour (PPT), successfully treated with Draf III over a mean period of 11 months. A critical review of the literature is also provided.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients undergoing Draf III for PPT from January 2018 to January 2019 was performed.

Results

Four consecutive male patients ranging from 26 to 62 years, with a mean age of 49.5 ± 16.3 years, undergoing Draf III for Pott’s puffy tumour were included. Two patients had a Kuhn type IV frontal cell narrowing the frontonasal pathway and presented without previous sinus surgery, whereas the other two had previous sinus surgery. The success rate of the operation was 100% with an average length of follow-up of 11 months (range 5–18).

Conclusion

In our experience, the Draf III procedure is a highly effective treatment of PPT. In particular, we have demonstrated it to be very effective in accessing highly positioned Kuhn type IV cells.