Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea revealing an unusual ethmoido-sphenoidal foreign body.
BACKGROUND
Foreign bodies in the transnasal ethmoido-sphenoidal sinus are uncommon. We present a case of unilateral rhinorrhoea caused by a foreign body which had been lodged in the ethmoido-sphenoidal sinus for 38 years.


METHODS
A 40-year-old woman presented with unilateral rhinorrhoea. Computed tomography showed a foreign body located in the right ethmoido-sphenoidal sinus, with a defect of the lamina papyracea and the ethmoid roof. The endonasal approach did not permit extraction of the foreign body. A combined approach allowed the extraction of a pen cap, and the defect of the ethmoid roof was rebuilt.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite its limitations, the endonasal approach remains the treatment of first choice for osteo-meningeal defects, because of its minimal invasiveness and high success rate. However, in the presented case a combined approach was needed.
ENT and Cervico-facial Surgery Service, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Tours, France.
A
A
Aubin
S
S
Moriniere
P
P
François
D
D
Bakhos
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004724:Endoscopy; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery