CT, MRI and gallium SPECT in the diagnosis and treatment of petrous apicitis presenting as multiple cranial neuropathies

Petrous Apicitis: A Systematic Review and Case Presentation

INTRODUCTION

Petrous apicitis (PA) is a rare but dangerous complication of acute otitis media. The objective of this study is to present a case of PA and systematically review the existing literature on PA to characterize clinical presentation, diagnosis, management, and outcomes in the antibiotic era.

METHODS

A comprehensive search from 1983 to June 1, 2020, of PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and EmBase databases was conducted. Studies with clinical data regarding patients with PA were included. Non-English literature or studies with insufficient individual patient data were excluded. Sixty-seven studies were included with a total of 134 patients.

RESULTS

A total of 67 articles were found to meet criteria for inclusion. The mean age of presentation was 33 years. Recent acute otitis media was reported in 78 patients (58.2%). Only 3 patients (2.2%) were immunocompromised, and 8 patients (6.0%) had a history of diabetes. Gradenigo's triad of abducens palsy, otorrhea, and retro-orbital or facial pain was reported in 28 patients (20.9%); however, these presenting symptoms were common individually (51.5%, 48.5%, and 64.2%, respectively). Hearing loss (35.8%), facial weakness (17.9%), and vertigo (7.5%) were also reported.The most frequently cultured pathogen was Pseudomonas (34.2%), followed by Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. All 134 patients underwent imaging, with computed tomography being the most frequently used modality (56.0%). Nearly all patients received antibiotic therapy (95.6%), with 91 (67.9%) undergoing surgery ranging from myringotomy (26.9%) to petrosectomy (25.4%). Five patients (5.7%) died because of complications related to PA. Mean follow-up was 11.0 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Petrous apicitis has a variable presentation with potential for severe morbidity. Mortality rates are low, and presentation with Gradenigo's triad is uncommon. Appropriate medical management with surgical drainage can avoid long-term sequelae.

Gradenigo's syndrome presenting as IX and X cranial nerve palsy without clinically apparent ear infection: A case report and review of literature

Gradenigo's syndrome (GS) is a triad (otorrhea, abducens nerve palsy, and pain in the trigeminal nerve distribution) of clinical findings that are caused by contiguous spread of petrous apicitis to the nearby neurovascular structures. Petrous apicitis is usually secondary to otitis media but atypical etiologies and absence of the classical triad pose a diagnostic challenge for physicians. We report a rare case of GS in an afebrile 55-year-old male who presented with unilateral headache, dysphagia and hoarseness (IX and X cranial nerve involvement), and diplopia with lateral gaze palsy (VI nerve involvement) in the absence of trigeminal neuralgia or a history of otitis media. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed hyperintense lesions in the right petrous apex indicating petrous apicitis, the hallmark of GS. Prompt initiation of broad-spectrum antibiotics led to a marked improvement in dysphagia and voice quality on the 4th post-admission day, and complete resolution of symptoms by the end of the fourth week. This shows that GS can present even in the absence of clinically apparent ear infection and cranial nerve palsies may not be limited to the V and VI nerve in all cases. Physicians should be aware of such atypical manifestations as prompt radiological assessment followed by early antibiotics can prevent life-threatening complications from developing.

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Gradenigo's syndrome is a triad of otorrhea, facial pain and VI nerve palsy.

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The classic triad is seen in less than half of the cases.

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Petrous apicitis is the hallmark radiologic finding.

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The history of ear infection may not always be evident.

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Presentation with IX and X nerve palsy can pose a diagnostic challenge.

Transmastoid and Transtemporal Drainage of Petrous Apicitis with Otitis Media

Background:

Petrous apicitis (PA) is a serious infection involving the apical portion of the petrous temporal bone. The classic triad of purulent otorrhea, ipsilateral abducens nerve palsy and retroorbital pain is rarely seen due to early detection and widespread use of antibiotics. Medical management is the primary treatment modality with surgery reserved for cases of recalcitrant petrous apex abscess.

Methods and Results:

We presented a case of PA with previously untreated otitis media. After multidisciplinary evaluation, the patient was initially treated with intravenous antibiotics followed by drainage of the abscess using a combined transmastoid and middle cranial fossa (MCF) approach. The patient recovered well with no recurrence of the infection based on imaging and symptoms.

Discussion:

While a variety of different surgical approaches can be used in treatment of PA, we recommend the MCF approach in cases where access to the anterior petrous apex may be challenging via transcanal or transmastoid approach.

The changing face of petrous apicitis-a 40-year experience

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Petrous apicitis (PA) is a rare complication of otitis media. Gradenigo syndrome, with the classic triad of otitis, deep pain, and abducens paralysis, is rarer still. The objective of this study was to determine if clinical presentation and management has changed over time.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective chart review.

METHODS

Forty-four patients with PA over a 40-year period were studied. Symptoms, signs, and management outcomes were studied. Historical review, surgical anatomy and approaches, pathology, and microbiology, and an illustrative case are included as appendices.

RESULTS

The classical Gradenigo triad of retro-orbital pain, otitis, and abducens palsy occurred in only six of 44 patients (13.6%). Over the 40-year observation period, those needing surgery has decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

Antibiotics remain the primary treatment modality. Surgery is reserved for cases failing to respond to antibiotics. One of the 44 patients in this series died of his disease. Diagnosis and management algorithms based on these observations are suggested.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4. Laryngoscope, 128:195-201, 2018.

Technetium-99m (⁹⁹mTc)-labelled sulesomab in the management of malignant external otitis: is there any role?

We report two cases of malignant external otitis (MEO) evaluated with Technetium-99m((99m)Tc)-labelled sulesomab. Two patients affected by MEO are presented, together with a literature review. Both patients were studied with clinical examination, ear discharge culture, radiological imaging, blood exams, (99m)Tc Sulesomab, and treated with antibiotic therapy. (99m)Tc-Sulesomab would appear to be an useful tool for diagnosis and follow-up of MEO, highlighting the site and extension of the inflammatory process, and evaluating course and treatment efficacy. (99m)Tc-Sulesomab shows promise as a rapid, effective and safe imaging agent for treatment response evaluation and follow-up of patients with MEO. Further studies are warranted to validate the inclusion of (99m)Tc-Sulesomab scan in the imaging follow-up of patients with MEO.

Aspergillus petrous apicitis associated with cerebral and peritubular abscesses in an immunocompetent man

Background:

Petrous apex aspergillosis is an uncommon and dangerous condition, with only four previously reported cases. As with other forms of petrous apicitis, the clinical symptoms are often non-specific and this contributes to diagnostic delay. This paper presents the first reported case of Aspergillus petrous apicitis associated with an intracranial or nasopharyngeal abscess.

Case report:

A 72-year-old man with chronic otorrhoea developed neuralgic headaches and progressive lower cranial nerve palsies despite antibiotic therapy. Imaging revealed petrous apicitis, a temporal lobe abscess and nasopharyngeal abscess. Analysis of biopsy tissue indicated invasive aspergillosis. The patient recovered on a protracted course of voriconazole in addition to medium-term antibiotic therapy.

Conclusion:

Invasive fungal disease should be considered early in the course of skull base osteomyelitis that is clinically unresponsive to empirical broad spectrum antibiotics. This paper highlights the role of tissue biopsy in diagnosis, and the efficacy of voriconazole therapy without the need for radical surgery.

Lesions of the petrous apex: classification and findings at CT and MR imaging

The petrous apex is a complex region of the central skull base that is surrounded by a number of important vascular and neural structures and can be home to a wide range of disease processes. Lesions arising in or spreading to the petrous apex cause varied and occasionally severe clinical sequelae, which typically result from mass effect or direct invasion of the cranial nerves, brainstem, or internal carotid artery. Because the petrous apex is not amenable to direct examination, cross-sectional imaging with computed tomography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging plays an important role in diagnosis and characterization of lesions occurring there. Petrous apex lesions can be classified on the basis of their origin into the following categories: developmental lesions, inflammatory lesions, benign tumors, malignant tumors, vascular lesions, and osseous dysplasias. The most common lesions arising in the petrous apex are cholesterol granulomas, which can be reliably diagnosed with MR imaging due to their high signal intensity on both T1-weighted images and T2-weighted images. In addition, one should also be familiar with anatomic variants or pseudolesions in the petrous apex that can be mistaken for pathologic conditions.

Imaging Studies for Head and Neck Infections

Imaging the head and neck presents a unique challenge because of the dense concentration of complex anatomy and the importance of lesion localization in formulating the differential diagnosis and prognosis. Critical imaging features such as the ability to define fascial borders of soft tissue neck compartments, the demonstration of intricate anatomy such as the temporal bones and paranasal sinuses, and the noninvasive assessment of vascular integrity have improved greatly in recent years in parallel with the rapid technologic advances in multidetector CT and MRI. After comparing the available imaging techniques, this article explores the imaging findings by anatomic region.