College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
ENT and Skull Base Surgery, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
BMJ Case Rep. 2024 Feb 14;17(2):e258886. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2023-258886.
Spontaneous meningoencephaloceles (MECs) are sparsely documented in the literature. Those occurring in the frontal sinus are an exceedingly rare entity. MECs are commonly associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea. CSF rhinorrhoea is frequently misdiagnosed, causing delays in diagnosis and management. The subsequently increased risk of bacterial meningitis can be life-threatening to patients. We report the case of a woman in her late 70s with a spontaneous frontal sinus MEC, presenting with a 6-month history of CSF rhinorrhoea. The patient was successfully treated using the novel Carolyn's window approach endoscopically; 9-month follow-up revealed no skull-base breach. Our case emphasises the importance of considering MEC as a differential diagnosis for clear rhinorrhoea and demonstrates successful repair through a novel surgical approach.
自发性脑膜脑膨出(MEC)在文献中记载较少。发生在前鼻窦的 MEC 极为罕见。MEC 通常与脑脊液(CSF)鼻漏有关。CSF 鼻漏常被误诊,导致诊断和治疗延误。随后增加的细菌性脑膜炎风险可能对患者造成生命威胁。我们报告了一例 70 多岁女性的自发性额窦 MEC,表现为 6 个月 CSF 鼻漏病史。患者成功地使用新型卡罗琳窗内镜手术方法进行治疗;9 个月的随访未发现颅底破裂。我们的病例强调了将 MEC 作为清亮鼻漏的鉴别诊断的重要性,并通过一种新的手术方法成功修复。