Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 17, 2025
Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: June 21, 2019
Unusual complications of bone wax at the skull base
R Panicker1, R K Moorthy2, V Rupa1
1Department of ENT, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Objective:
This study aimed to describe the clinical presentation, microbiological profile and management of complications of bone wax usage for surgical procedures at the skull base.
Method:
The case records of a series of five patients who developed post-operative surgical site complications because of bone wax usage during skull base surgery were reviewed.
Results:
In all five patients, persistent site-specific clinical features were noted along with intra-operative presence of excessive bone wax. Three unique cases of presentation, one with a fungal brain abscess because of Aspergillus flavus infection, another with fungal osteomyelitis because of Trichosporon beigelii infection and a third with intradural migration of bone wax into the cerebellopontine angle cistern are highlighted.
Conclusion:
The presentation of surgical site infection at the skull base because of excessive use of bone wax can be manifold. The need for testing appropriate cultures including fungal culture is highlighted.
Insights
Excessive bone wax use in skull base surgery can lead to varied complications, including fungal infections and migration. Prompt fungal cultures are crucial for diagnosing these bone wax complications.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Surgical Pathology
- Mycology
Background:
- Bone wax is commonly used in skull base surgery to control bleeding.
- Complications arising from bone wax usage are not well-documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical presentation, microbiological profile, and management of complications associated with bone wax in skull base surgery.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of five patients who experienced post-operative complications after skull base surgery involving bone wax.
Main Results:
- All patients exhibited persistent site-specific symptoms and excessive intra-operative bone wax.
- Unique presentations included Aspergillus flavus brain abscess, Trichosporon beigelii osteomyelitis, and intradural migration of bone wax.
Conclusions:
- Surgical site infections at the skull base due to excessive bone wax can manifest in diverse ways.
- The importance of obtaining appropriate cultures, including fungal cultures, is emphasized for accurate diagnosis and management.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:22Sutures of the Skull
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
01:27Cranial Bones: Lateral View
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...
01:14Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
01:08Overview of the Skull
The cranial vault surrounds and protects the brain and houses the middle and inner ear structures. This cavity is bounded superiorly by the rounded top of the skull, which...