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The sphenopalatine ganglion is an extracranial neural structure within the pterygopalatine fossa. Modulation of this region via implantation of a neuromodulatory device presents a novel therapy for the treatment of facial and head pain. Yet sex, race, and genetic factors contribute to morphological variations between individuals. This study defines the standards and variations of the bony landmarks surrounding the pterygopalatine fossa. One hundred dry skulls were analyzed from the Hamann-Todd osteological collection. Ten anatomical dimensions were measured on each side of the face for each specimen (vidian foramen, zygomatic buttress, zygomatic maxillary suture, pyriform rim, infraorbital rim, pterygoid maxillary suture, greater palatine foramen, auditory canal, and pterygoid fossa). A statistical analysis was performed for both sides of the face based on sex and race. When stratified by sex, 7 of the 10 measurements revealed a statistically significant difference bilaterally. When stratified by race, 5 of the 10 measurements demonstrated a statistically significant difference bilaterally. Both male and African American skulls showed greater hemifacial values bilaterally when compared with their respective counterparts. The only statistically significant measurement on both the left and right sides of all skulls was the length from the vidian foramen to the infraorbital rim. Defining the anatomical mean distance between skull landmarks and highlighting differences between sex and race not only provides further insight into relative skull anatomy, but also sets the stage for device innovation.

BACKGROUND The need for noninvasive methods in treatment of cutaneous disease has continued to evolve exponentially. Amidst the search for technologies, radiofrequency (RF) has proven efficacious in numerous skin disease processes. Although RF is well known for its cosmetic utility, its mechanism is valued in the treatment of many noncosmetic cutaneous conditions of various etiologies. OBJECTIVE To identify and describe studies in which RF was used to treat noncosmetic skin conditions and to explore the potential of this modality for further application in dermatologic diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS The PubMed database was used to find relevant articles. RESULTS This search strategy yielded 54 articles that met the eligibility criteria. Noncosmetic indications discussed in these articles include varicose veins (n = 10,550), lymphangioma circumscriptum (n = 72), cutaneous neoplasms (n = 42), cutaneous leishmaniasis (n = 743), acne and acne scarring (n = 158), non–acne scarring (n = 43), primary axillary hyperhidrosis (n = 76), and acute and chronic wounds (n = 94). CONCLUSION Treatment with RF is an effective, generally noninvasive modality with a relatively short postprocedure recovery time and little potential for severe adverse effects in the treatment of several cutaneous conditions. Further clinical studies would prove useful to assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of this treatment.

Summary:Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage catheters have been associated with numerous complications in various anatomic locations, because of migration, infection, and obstruction. However, breast-related CSF shunt complications tend to occur infrequently or have seldom been reported in the empirical literature. Therefore, a case is presented detailing a breast pseudocyst caused by migration and subsequent coiling of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in the right breast pocket. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case that has been reported in the peer-reviewed literature of a pseudocyst resulting from a CSF drainage catheter coiling around the breast implant post pancreaticoduodenectomy. Moreover, this case highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary procedural awareness, particularly in regards to breast, ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and pancreatic procedures.