Craniofacial resection for ethmoid carcinoma in children

The combined craniofacial resection is a well-established method of managing invasive primary malignant nasoethmoidal disease in adults, and serves as an excellent surgical technique for the en bloc eradication of these lesions [6]. The nasoethmoid region is a relatively uncommon site for the development of primary carcinoma. Less than 3% of cancers involving the adult upper aerodigestive system arise in this area [11,13]. Because similar lesions occur in the pediatric population even less frequently, there has been little opportunity to gain the knowledge necessary to develop a standardized treatment of this disease in children. We report the use of a combined therapeutic regimen consisting of cobalt-60 radiotherapy, surgery and chemotherapy, to manage a primary malignant undifferentiated carcinoma of the ethmoid complex in an adolescent. Since the initiation of treatment at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital, the child has remained free of tumor for 24 months. The techniques of craniofacial resection for the removal of certain tumors in the nasoethmoid complex of adults may be easily adapted for use in the pediatric population, and should be included in the surgical armamentarium of the otolaryngologist providing this type of health care for children.