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Published on: January 17, 2018
[The diagnosis and management of isolated sphenoiditis in children]
Dongliang Ai1, Jinbo Huang, Haiyan Zhang
1Department of Otolaryngology, Chinese Medicine Hospital of Jiexi, Jieyang 515400, China. Adl3@163.com
Insights
Isolated sphenoiditis in children often presents with headache as the sole symptom, leading to potential misdiagnosis. Early diagnosis via imaging and appropriate treatment, including surgery for chronic cases, improves outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Rhinosinusitis Management
- Medical Imaging in Pediatrics
Context:
- Isolated sphenoiditis is a rare condition in children, often presenting with non-specific symptoms.
- Diagnostic challenges arise due to the sphenoid sinus's deep anatomical location.
- Previous studies lack comprehensive data on clinical presentation and management in pediatric populations.
Purpose:
- To analyze the clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods, and treatment strategies for isolated sphenoiditis in children.
- To improve early diagnosis and guide effective therapeutic interventions for this condition.
- To provide insights into the long-term outcomes of different management approaches.
Summary:
- Retrospective analysis of 17 pediatric patients with isolated sphenoiditis revealed headache as a predominant symptom.
- Imaging (CT/MRI) confirmed sphenoid sinus opacification; antibiotic therapy was effective for acute cases.
- Endoscopic sinus surgery led to symptom resolution and no recurrence in chronic cases, with a transnasal approach recommended.
Impact:
- Highlights the importance of considering isolated sphenoiditis in children presenting with persistent headaches.
- Emphasizes the diagnostic utility of advanced imaging techniques like CT and MRI.
- Supports prompt surgical intervention for chronic or refractory cases to prevent long-term complications.
Objective:
Analyzing the clinical manifestation, diagnosis and management of isolated sphenoiditis in children, retrospectively, was to get more information of the disease and to supply correct treatment early.
Method:
The symptoms, signs and imaging data of seventeen cases with isolated sphenoiditis hospitalized in our department from June 2001 to January 2010 were analyzed retrospectively.
Result:
Nine out of seventeen patients had the chief complaint of headache, three patients had blood in nasal discharge and had a fever, and five patients had postnasal drip with headache and a slight fever. The disease lasted for three months to one year. Five patients showed nasal discharge in rhinologic examination, one patient had solitary polyps in sphenoethmoid recess, eight patients had adenoid hypertrophy and the last three patients showed no positive signs. CT scan or MRI revealed opacification in sphenoid sinus. Eight patients received normative antibiotic therapy and were cured. The rest nine patients received endoscopic sinus surgery. The complaints relieved after the surgery and there was no signs of recurrence in 1 to 5 years of follow-up.
Conclusion:
Headache can be the chief and unique symptom of isolated sphenoiditis in children, which was easy to misdiagnose and miss diagnosis. CT or MRI was the evidence of diagnosis. Antibiotic therapy could be used for acute sphenoiditis. Patients with chronic sphenoiditis should receive endoscopic sinus surgery as early as better. From supraturbinal to sphenoid sinus natural ostia is the best way in sphenoidotomy.
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