Endoscopic transnasal repair of two cases of spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid fistula in the foramen rotundum.

We report two female patients aged 16 and 33 who presented with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea. Beta-2 transferrin was positive in both cases. Initial high-resolution CT showed fluid in the maxillary sinus but no obvious bony defect.

The fate of chronic rhinosinusitis sufferers after maximal medical therapy.

Background: Many chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) treatment regimes revolve around "one-off" maximal medical therapy (MMT) protocols, and although many patients initially respond, long-term control is unpredictable. The value of imaging, endoscopy, and patient progress after MMT for CRS is assessed.

Methods: Symptomatic CRS patients with computed tomography (CT)-confirmed disease were recruited at a tertiary rhinology clinic.

Silastic splints reduce middle meatal adhesions after endoscopic sinus surgery.

Background: Adhesions frequently form between the middle turbinate and lateral nasal wall after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and are a possible cause for surgical failure. Many absorbable and nonabsorbable spacers have been tried to improve healing. This study was designed to ascertain whether placement of a thin silastic splint into the middle meatus after sinus surgery for 2 weeks reduces adhesion formation and whether a reduction in the adhesion rate improves patient outcomes in the early postoperative phase.

15-year audit of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage at Dunedin Hospital.

Post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage is a significant complication because of its frequency and consequences. Increases in post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage prevalence have been reported. There is a controversy about whether increasing the use of diathermy techniques or anti-platelet aggregation effects of analgesia could have caused this increase.

Repair of injuries to the thoracic aorta and great vessels: Auckland, New Zealand 1995-2004.

Background: Traumatic injury to the aorta and great vessels is a surgical emergency with survivors who reach hospital typically having suffered multiple injuries. There are several diagnostic and treatment options available, with new modalities emerging to challenge the gold standards. A review of recent trends in management of these injuries in Auckland, New Zealand was carried out and patient outcomes assessed.

Consumptive coagulopathy complicating juvenile angiofibroma.

Objective: To investigate the incidence and clinical significance of deranged clotting results among patients with juvenile (nasopharyngeal) angiofibroma.

Methods: Twenty consecutive patients treated for juvenile angiofibroma between March 1998 and July 2002 in whom preoperative coagulation tests were performed were selected. Results were compared with normal laboratory values, and clinical and histological records were retrospectively analysed.