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Endoscopic Transnasal Navigation Guided Treatment of Clivus Abscess in Adult with Mucormycosis: A Rare Report
Sarang Gotecha1, Ashish Chugh1, Prashant Punia1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Center, Pimpri, Pune, Maharashtra 411018 India.
Abstract:
Osteomyelitis and abscess of the clivus are rare conditions thought to arise from contiguous spread of infection from the paranasal sinuses. Clival osteomyelitis is a rare potentially life-threatening skull base infection which is generally challenging to diagnose and treat. It is typically seen in the pediatric population and is very rare in the adult population. The exact pathophysiology of osteomyelitis of the clivus is relatively uncertain. Here, we describe a case of a 32-year-old immunocompetent female with a primary complaint of headache, with no significant medical history of diabetes, hypertension or rhinosinusitis or SARS COV-2 for the past 18 months. This case report demonstrates an image-guided and endoscopic approach to surgical localization and treatment of abscesses in the clival area.
Insights
Clival osteomyelitis, a rare skull base infection, can occur in adults. This case report details the successful endoscopic surgical treatment of a clival abscess in an immunocompetent adult.
Area of Science:
- Skull Base Infections
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Clival osteomyelitis and abscess are rare, potentially life-threatening skull base infections.
- These conditions are typically associated with contiguous spread from paranasal sinuses and are uncommon in adults.
- The pathophysiology of clival osteomyelitis remains uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a rare case of clival osteomyelitis and abscess in an immunocompetent adult.
- To highlight the utility of an image-guided endoscopic approach for diagnosis and surgical treatment of clival abscesses.
Main Methods:
- A case report of a 32-year-old immunocompetent female presenting with headache.
- Utilized an image-guided endoscopic surgical approach for localization and treatment of the clival abscess.
Main Results:
- Successful surgical localization and treatment of a clival abscess were achieved using an image-guided endoscopic technique.
- The patient presented with headache as the primary symptom, without significant prior medical history.
Conclusions:
- An image-guided endoscopic approach is effective for managing clival abscesses in adults.
- This case expands the understanding of clival osteomyelitis presentation and management in the adult population.

