Successful treatment of a rare subcutaneous emphysema after a blow-out fracture surgery using needle aspiration:A case report

BACKGROUND Many cases of emphysema associated with blow-out fractures occur before surgery due to trauma.However,emphysema can occur even after surgery,and most of such cases are managed conservatively and allowed to resolve.Swelling in the periorbital area due to emphysema that occurs after surgery can make early recovery difficult.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we describe a case of postoperative subcutaneous emphysema that was treated using a simple needle aspiration method.A 48-year-old male patient visited the hospital with a blow-out fracture of the left medial orbital wall and nasal bone fracture.One day postoperatively,swelling and crepitus in the left periorbital area were observed,and follow-up computed tomography showed emphysema in the left periorbital subcutaneous area.Needle aspiration using an 18-gauge needle and syringe was used to relieve the emphysema.The symptoms of sudden swelling improved immediately,and no recurrence was observed.CONCLUSION We conclude that needle aspiration is a useful method that could help in relieving symptom,resolving discomfort,and enabling early return to daily life in patients with postoperative subcutaneous emphysema.

Removal of unexpected schwannoma with superficial parotidectomy using modified-Blair incision and superficial musculoaponeurotic system folding: A case report

BACKGROUND When a firm facial mass in the cheek region is associated with a high index of clinical suspicion of its being of parotid gland origin,preventive parotidectomy is invariably performed.We report a rare case of a schwannoma that was suspected to be of parotid gland origin in a patient,who underwent successful surgical management using a modified-Blair incision and superficial musculoaponeurotic system(SMAS)layer folding method.CASE SUMMARY A 27-year-old woman presented to the hospital for evaluation of a firm,fixed,non-tender mass(2.5 cm×3.5 cm),located anterior to the right ear,of 1 year’s duration.Contrast-enhanced facial computed tomography revealed a wellencapsulated,low-density mass adherent to the superficial lobe of the right parotid gland,with a high index of clinical suspicion of an accessory parotid gland mass.The patient was scheduled to undergo resection of the mass and superficial parotidectomy.She underwent surgery using a modified-Blair incision,and the SMAS layer was folded posteriorly to reconstruct the defect.Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a schwannoma.,and we observed no postoperative complications such as hematoma,infection,or abnormal facial expressions.The incision scar was unnoticeable 2 mo postoperatively,and the facial contour was maintained without any differences between the affected and unaffected sides.CONCLUSION We used a modified-Blair incision and SMAS layer folding method to achieve aesthetically good results following resection of a rare schwannoma with superficial parotidectomy in the cheek region.

Effectiveness of out-fracture of the inferior turbinate with reduction nasal bone fracture

BACKGROUND The nasal bone,being the most protruding bone in the center of the facial bones,is particularly susceptible to damage.Nasal bone fractures can often result in secondary deformation and dysfunction of the nose,including septal fractures.Studies on functional or intra-nasal complications have been rarely reported after nasal bone fracture reduction.AIM To evaluate the severity of nasal obstruction and its improvement following nasal bone fracture reduction using inferior turbinoplasty.METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of data from 50 patients with symptomatic nasal obstruction between January to December 2010.All patients underwent preoperative Computed tomography evaluation,and symptom changes and nasal cavity volume were analyzed using a visual analog scale and acoustic rhinometry before and after surgery.Closed reduction and out-fracture of both inferior turbinates performed by the same surgeon.Treatment outcomes were assessed by comparing changes in the nasal airway volume measured using acoustic rhinometry before and after surgery.The minimal cross-sectional area(MCA)was also analyzed based on the Stranc classification.RESULTS Before reduction,the mean MCA for all cases was 0.59±0.06 cm^(2),which represented an 11%decrease compared to the average size of a Korean adult(0.65±0.03 cm^(2)).The MCA for frontal impact was 0.60±0.02 cm^(2) and for lateral impact,it was 0.58±0.03 cm^(2).After reduction via inferior turbinoplasty,the MCA improved to 0.64±0.04 cm^(2).CONCLUSION This study suggests that turbinoplasty is helpful in addressing nasal obstruction.Out-fracture of the inferior turbinate is an effective and durable technique that can be easily performed to enlarge the nasal airway with minimal morbidity.