Intraoperative Sphenoid Sinus Volume Measurement as an Alternative Technique to Intraoperative Computer Tomography

Isolated Sphenoid Sinusitis: Anatomical Features for Choosing a Method of Treatment, a Case-Control Study

Isolated sphenoid sinusitis (ISS) is a group of pathologies characterized by inflammation in one or both sphenoid sinuses. The gold standard for analyzing and diagnosing ISS is computer tomography. Many researchers have discussed the treatment of patients with ISS variants such as fully opacified sinus, mostly with surgery. A retrospective analysis of clinical data of 59 patients (21 male (35%), 38 female (65%)) with ISS, who were treated in the Otorhinolaryngological Department of Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University between January 2017 and January 2020, was conducted. All patients were in the first stage of the same medical therapy. In cases where there was no recovery, these patients were referred to surgery. For the control group, we analyzed patients without any disorders according to CT-scan examination. After analyzing the obtained clinical and radiological data, we found indicators that were common in patients who did not recover after medical therapy. According to the reverse regression method statistical model, in male patients with a diffuse headache and nasal discharge it was shown that medical therapy was highly effective (more than 78%). The presence of nasal septum deviation and adenoids in male and female patients leads to the highest risk of surgical treatment (83% probability of the logistic model). The detailed analysis of CT-scans and the complaints of patients with ISS can be the key to determining the preferred therapy choice. Not all cases need to have an endoscopic opening of the sphenoid sinus, according to our research.

Case Report: Oncocytic Schneiderian Papilloma Originating From the Sphenoid Sinus

A rare case of oncocytic Schneiderian papilloma originating from the sphenoid sinus characterised, for 3 years, by non-specific symptoms of severe headache, a block of nasal breathing, and deprecating sense of smell was presented by an elderly female patient. Sphenoid sinus functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), with a one-block tumour excision, through an endonasal approach, with a histological study of removed tumour masses, were performed on the patient. Long observation in the post-operative period was necessary, considering the risk of recurrence and malignancy of oncocytic Schneiderian papilloma (OSP). Although the oncocytic papilloma of the sphenoid sinus is rare, non-specific symptoms make this pathology easily misdiagnosed. Thus, any isolated unilateral process in the paranasal sinuses with long-existing symptoms must be given careful attention due to the chance of this process being an inverted papilloma with malignization. CT scan indicating a unilateral opacification of paranasal sinuses with local calcifications is a typical manifestation, and endoscopic sphenoidotomy can be recommended as a treatment of choice.

[Clinical and diagnostic features in the phenotyping of isolated sphenoiditis]

The relevance of the issues of diagnosis and treatment of isolated sphenoiditis (IS) is increasing, due to the widespread introduction into clinical practice of radiation diagnostic methods that allow the diagnosis, including latent forms of IS. Among the chronic forms of IS, polypous-cystic and fungal lesions of the sphenoid sinus (SS) predominate.

OBJECTIVE

To study the age, gender and radiological features of SS in patients with IS.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective observational single-center non-randomized study was conducted - an analysis of the case histories of 56 patients aged 18 to 68 years who were on inpatient treatment at the Semashko Nizhny Novgorod Regional Clinical Hospital (Department of Ear, Throat and Nose Diseases of the Privolzhsky Research Medical University) in the period 2018-2020, by age, gender composition, clinical and radiological manifestations in various forms of IS.

RESULTS

The duration of the disease was 59±19 days. Latent forms were detected in 40% of patients. Statistically, the polypous-cystic form of IS was diagnosed more often than the fungal one (z=4.2; p=0.001). The median age of patients with polypous-cystic and fungal IS was 46.5 [35.0; 59.0] years. Evaluation of computed tomograms on the Lund-Mackay scale showed higher values in patients with polypous-cystic IS than in patients with fungal SS lesion (p=0.07). Obstruction of the anastomosis was detected in 38 out of 50 (69.5%) patients with polypous-cystic IS and in 13 out of 50 (92.9%) patients with fungal IS.

CONCLUSIONS

Against the background of a significant prevalence of rhinosinusitis, the absolute values of isolated sphenoiditis, even with a relative value of 5% of the total, are very significant. Determining the phenotype of isolated sphenoiditis and their features is very important for building a consistent treatment strategy. Age, gender, clinical and radiological manifestations should form the basis of phenotyping and further construction of a therapeutic and diagnostic algorithm.