Extended Endoscopic Pre-Lacrimal Medial Maxillectomy To the Anterior Maxillary Sinus Wall

Endoscopic pre-lacrimal medial maxillectomy involving the resection of the antero-medial maxillary sinus wall is a novel expanded procedure that allows the management of far lateral or antero-medial benign pathologies of the maxillary sinus, without increasing peri-operative morbidity. Laryngoscope, 133:2874-2877, 2023.

Endonasal Lacrimal Transposition to Expand Pre-Lacrimal Medial Maxillectomy Approach

EPLA lacrimal transposition facilitates management of maxillary sinus/pterygopalatine fossa lesions and overcomes limitations such as the Simmen type I recess or IPMS pedicled on the medial wall, without increasing peri-operative morbidity. Laryngoscope, 133:2090-2094, 2023.

Anatomical Step-by-Step Dissection of Complex Skull Base Approaches for Trainees: Endoscopic Endonasal Approach to the Orbit

Introduction  Although endonasal endoscopic approaches (EEA) to the orbit have been previously reported, a didactic resource for educating neurosurgery and otolaryngology trainees regarding the pertinent anatomy, techniques, and decision-making pearls is lacking. Methods  Six sides of three formalin-fixed, color latex-injected cadaveric specimens were dissected using 4-mm 0- and 30-degree rigid endoscopes, as well as standard endoscopic equipment, and a high-speed surgical drill. The anatomical dissection was documented in stepwise three-dimensional (3D) endoscopic images. Following dissection, representative case applications were reviewed. Results  EEA to the orbit provides excellent access to the medial and inferior orbital regions. Key steps include positioning and preoperative considerations, middle turbinate medialization, uncinate process and ethmoid bulla removal, complete ethmoidectomy, sphenoidotomy, maxillary antrostomy, lamina papyracea resection, orbital apex and optic canal decompression, orbital floor resection, periorbita opening, dissection of the extraconal fat, and final exposure of the orbit contents via the medial-inferior recti corridor. Conclusion  EEA to the orbit is challenging, in particular for trainees unfamiliar with nasal and paranasal sinus anatomy. Operatively oriented neuroanatomy dissections are crucial didactic resources in preparation for practical endonasal applications in the operating room (OR). This approach provides optimal exposure to the inferior and medial orbit to treat a wide variety of pathologies. We describe a comprehensive step-by-step curriculum directed to any audience willing to master this endoscopic skull base approach.

Extended Anterior Inferior Approach to Endoscopic Medial Maxillectomy for Maxillary Sinus Lesions

BACKGROUND

Myriad open and endoscopic approaches are employed to resect maxillary sinus lesions, each with associated advantages and disadvantages. The inferior and anterior portion of the sinus remains a challenging space to access.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the extended anterior inferior approach to endoscopic medial maxillectomy (EAMM) as a novel and valuable addition to a stepwise approach for minimizing surgical morbidity without compromising tumor outcomes. To report the outcomes of patients treated with this approach.

METHODS

A retrospective case series study of 9 patients who underwent EAMM between 2016 and 2019 at a tertiary care referral center was performed. The endoscopic technique is described. The duration of follow-up ranged from 1 to 53 months. Intraoperative steps, including transection of the nasolacrimal duct and execution of an intraoperative dacryocystorhinostomy, were reviewed. Postoperative outcomes, including patient symptoms at follow-up and tumor recurrence, were recorded.

RESULTS

Adequate exposure with gross total tumor resection or margin-negative tumor resection was achieved in all cases. Sparing of the nasolacrimal duct was achieved in 2 patients. No patients reported persistent epiphora, empty nose syndrome, or changes in cosmesis such as alar or nasal tip collapse. One patient reported unilateral V2 hypoesthesia at 6 months postoperatively that had resolved by his next follow-up 18 months after surgery. Postoperative tumor surveillance was achieved by endoscopic examinations in all patients and there was no evidence of tumor recurrence at a median follow-up of 22 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The EAMM provides improved access to the inferior-posterior-medial maxillary sinus. This approach minimizes the risk of hypoesthesia and change in cosmesis present in other approaches, and obviates division of the nasolacrimal duct for inferior, posterior-medial attached lesions. This progressive escalation of approach for maxillary sinus lesions minimizes injury to nasal and nasolacrimal structures without compromising tumor outcomes.

Assessment of Lacrimal Duct Patency in Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Medial Maxillectomy

Purpose: The risk of epiphora after medial maxillectomy with lacrimal duct transection is difficult to assess. The data available in the literature are inconclusive due to various operating techniques used by the authors of medical publications, different additional procedures aimed at improving tear drainage after maxillectomy, and a variety of lacrimal duct patency assessment techniques. The aim of our work was to assess the anatomical and functional patency of lacrimal ducts after medial maxillectomy without performing additional procedures to improve tear drainage as well as comparison of the results obtained with different assessment tests. Materials and methods: 21 patients who underwent medial maxillectomy in the years 2016–2019 were assessed for discomfort and epiphora based on patients’ own reports and basic clinical examination, lacrimal duct rinse test, the Munk score, and a modified endoscopic Jones I test. Results: Gradually increasing the sensitivity of the assessment method resulted in an increase in the number of patients with potential tear drainage disorders, starting from 0% in the rinsing test, 4.8% self-reported tearing complaints, 14.3% Munk score, and 19% modified endoscopic Jones I test. Conclusions: The study results revealed that a small fraction of patients tend to report epiphora as a consequence of medial maxillectomy themselves. Subtle functional disorders, which are not particularly bothersome to patients, are more common. More sensitive lacrimal duct patency tests reveal more cases of tear drainage disorders. The results of studies assessing the incidence of epiphora after medial maxillectomy appear to depend on the type of test used.

Endoscopic-Assisted Lateral Corridor to the Infratemporal Fossa: Proposal and Quantitative Comparison to the Endoscopic Transpterygoid Approach

Objective  This study was aimed to propose an expanded endoscopic-assisted lateral approach to the infratemporal fossa (ITF) and compare its area of exposure and surgical freedom with the endoscopic endonasal transptergyoid approach (EETA). Methods  Anatomical dissections were performed in five cadaver heads (10 sides). The ITF was first examined through the endoscopically assisted lateral corridor, herein referred to as the endoscopic-assisted transtemporal fossa approach (TTFA). After that, the EETA was performed and coupled with two sequential maxillary procedures (medial maxillectomy [MM], and endoscopic-assisted Denker's approach [DA]). Using the stereotactic neuronavigation, measurements of the area of exposure and surgical freedom at the foramen ovale were determined for the previously mentioned approaches. Results  Bimanual exploration of the ITF through the endoscopic-assisted lateral approach was achieved in all specimens. The DA (729 ± 49 mm ² ) provided a larger area of exposure than MM (568 ± 46 mm ² ; p <  0.0001). However, areas of exposure were similar between the DA and the TTFA (677 ± 35 mm ² ; p  = 0.09). The surgical freedom offered by the TTFA (109.3 ± 19 cm ² ) was much greater than the DA (24.7 ± 4.8 cm ² ; p <  0.0001), and the MM (15.2 ± 3.2 cm ² , p <  0.0001). Conclusion  The study demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed approach to provide direct access to the extreme extensions of the ITF. The lateral corridor offers an ideal working area in the posterior compartment of the ITF without crossing over important neurovascular structures. The new technique may be used alone in selected primary ITF lesions or in combination with endonasal approaches in pathologies spreading laterally from the nose or nasopharynx.

Giant Rhinosinusal Inverted Papilloma

Sinonasal papilloma is a benign tumor, derived from Schneiderian sinonasal epithelium. There have been described three histological subtypes: inverted, oncocytic and exophytic. The case presented here is A 66-year-old male patient, which was hospitalized in our Otolaryngology Department for a giant tumor, that was exteriorized from the left nostril, repeated epistaxis, nasal obstruction and anosmia. The computed tomography scan revealed an iodophilic and non-homogeneous tumor, with areas of necrosis, which included the entire left nasal cavity, with extension to the rhinopharynx and the left maxillary sinus. We completely removed the tumor by an endoscopic medial maxillectomy, with the subsequent histopathological examination revealing an inverted papilloma, with areas of low grade dysplasia and also areas with oncocytic Schneiderian papilloma. At the six-months postoperative control, there was no tumor recurrence. Major issues of this type of tumor is fast invasion capacity and numerous local recurrence. More recent studies have shown that these relapses are often overdue tumors.

Treatment of Recalcitrant Maxillary Sinusitis With Endoscopic Modified Medial Maxillectomy: A Systematic Review of Safety and Efficacy

Background

Endoscopic sinus surgery is an effective treatment option for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), although approximately 20% of patients fail to improve with standard surgical procedures. Expanded procedures such as the endoscopic modified medial maxillectomy (EMMM) have been described in management of refractory maxillary sinusitis.

Objective

This study aims to review the current literature on the safety and efficacy of the EMMM for treatment of refractory maxillary sinusitis.

Methods

A literature search was performed of PubMed, Ovid, and Cochrane databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. English-language articles evaluating the EMMM procedure on patients with recalcitrant maxillary sinusitis were included. Full-text articles were obtained and evaluated by 2 reviewers independently, with a third reviewer for mediation of disagreements.

Results

Six studies met eligibility criteria and were included into the study, with follow-up ranging from 12 to 82.8 months. Two studies contained Level 2 evidence and 4 studies contained Level 4 evidence. EMMM was found to be effective in CRS and cystic fibrosis-related CRS (0% and 9.1% revision rate, respectively). Symptom resolution was noted 60% to 80% of patients. Four studies reported complications, with a total of 4 complications out of 211 patients.

Conclusions

There are no high-quality Level 1 studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of the EMMM procedure. Level 2 to Level 4 studies indicate that this procedure is relatively safe with a low complication rate and symptom resolution in up to 80% of patients with recalcitrant maxillary sinusitis.

Surgical Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis in Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis patients frequently develop chronic rhinosinusitis as a result of their propensity to form inspissated mucus and impairment of mucociliary clearance. They exhibit variable symptom burden even in the setting of positive radiographic and endoscopic findings. Current evidence suggests a positive effect of managing sinonasal disease on pulmonary health. Topical antimicrobial and mucolytic therapies are frequently required to manage the disease with surgery reserved for refractory cases. Endoscopic sinus surgery has been demonstrated to be safe and efficacious in controlling symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis in patients with comorbid cystic fibrosis. However, the impact of surgery on pulmonary health remains an active area of investigation. In addition, a growing body of research has suggested a more extended surgical approach creating large sinonasal cavities with gravity-dependent drainage pathways, followed by adjuvant medical therapies, as an ideal strategy to optimally control disease and prevent pulmonary exacerbations. In this manuscript, we provide an up-to-date review of current evidence in the surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis in cystic fibrosis patients.

Radioanatomic Study of the Greater Palatine Canal Relevant to Endoscopic Endonasal Surgical Landmarks

Objective A radioanatomic study of surgically relevant variations in the greater palatine canal (GPC) on computed tomography (CT) was performed to determine susceptibility during endoscopic endonasal procedures. Study Design Blinded radioanatomic analysis. Setting Tertiary university hospital. Subjects and Methods Fifty consecutive paranasal CT scans (100 sides) were analyzed. Measurements were standardized to landmarks such as the inferior turbinate (IT) and floor of the nasal cavity (FNC) to assess variability and vulnerability of the nerve. Measurements included (1) incidence of maxillary sinus pneumatization posterior to the GPC, (2) distance from the posterior wall of the maxillary sinus to the GPC at the IT and FNC, (3) width of bone containing the GPC, (4) incidence of medial GPC dehiscence, and (5) angle of the GPC extending from the IT to FNC. Results Ninety-one percent of maxillary sinuses were pneumatized posterior to the GPC. The distance from the posterior wall of the maxillary sinus to the GPC was 2.8 ± 1.7 mm (range, -2.3 to 5.9) at the posterior attachment of the IT and 4.1 ± 3.1 mm (range, -6.3 to 11.9) at the FNC. The width of bone containing the GPC was 3.3 ± 1.3 mm (range, 1-8.9), and the medial bony GPC was dehiscent in 38% of cases. In the sagittal plane, the angle of the GPC between the IT and the FNC was 31.9 ± 6.9 degrees (range, 10.8-45). Conclusion The GPC has considerable anatomic variability relative to important surgical landmarks in endoscopic procedures. Preoperative review of CTs to assess vulnerability may prevent postoperative complications.

Effect of Incremental Endoscopic Maxillectomy on Surgical Exposure of the Pterygopalatine and Infratemporal Fossae

Objective Access to the pterygopalatine and infratemporal fossae presents a significant surgical challenge, owing to their deep-seated location and complex neurovascular anatomy. This study elucidates the benefits of incremental medial maxillectomies to access this region. We compared access to the medial aspect of the infratemporal fossa provided by medial maxillectomy, anteriorly extended medial maxillectomy, endoscopic Denker approach (i.e., Sturmann-Canfield approach), contralateral transseptal approach, and the sublabial anterior maxillotomy (SAM). Methods We studied 10 cadaveric specimens (20 sides) dissecting the pterygopalatine and infratemporal fossae bilaterally. Radius of access was calculated using a navigation probe aligned with the endoscopic line of sight. Area of exposure was calculated as the area removed from the posterior wall of maxillary sinus. Surgical freedom was calculated by computing the working area at the proximal end of the instrument with the distal end fixed at a target. Results The endoscopic Denker approach offered a superior area of exposure (8.46 ± 1.56 cm(2)) and superior surgical freedom. Degree of lateral access with the SAM approach was similar to that of the Denker. Conclusion Our study suggests that an anterior extension of the medial maxillectomy or a cross-court approach increases both the area of exposure and surgical freedom. Further increases can be seen upon progression to a Denker approach.

Surgical management of inverted papilloma: approaching a new standard for surgery

BACKGROUND

Inverted papilloma surgery is currently performed primarily with an endoscopic approach, a technique that has a recurrence rate of 12%. However, a recent study reported a recurrence rate of 5% with a strategy based on subperiosteal dissection of the tumor, with limited indications for using an external approach. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether different teams using the same surgical concepts could reproduce the excellent results that were recently reported.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective chart review of 71 consecutive patients with inverted papilloma who were treated during the last 10 years.

RESULTS

In all, 80% of the patients were treated using a purely endoscopic approach. The mean follow-up period was 31.6 months. The recurrence rate was 3.3% for cases with at least a 12-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

This work confirms the results described in recent literature and further supports transnasal endoscopic surgery to manage inverted papilloma.