I have a 3 1/2 month old baby boy who has a cyst at the bridge of his nose.The doctor wants to do a Cat scan to determine how deep and whether to surically remove.It appears their concern is possible infection and that roots may extend to the brain.
Comments,Concerns,Questions we ought to ask and since this is an infant any things to be aware of?
Reply: -----------------------
A mass located on the bridge of the nose in an infant can occur due to aberrant development of the nasal bones near where they attach to the base of the frontal bone or they may be of skin structure origin, amongst other causes. When there is aberrant development and fusion of the nasal bones near the base of the cranial cavity, this can lead to a communication whereby the lining of the brain with or without brain tissue can extend or balloon out between the nasal bones causing a mass at the bridge of the nose. Another cause of such masses is related to the development of the skin of the nose whereby cysts are formed that have no communication with the cranial cavity and are not associated with aberrant fusion of the nasal bones. High resolution CT scans of the facial bones of the skull are commonly recommended to distinguish between the 2 possibilities and ultimately make a diagnosis. Surgical removal is usually recommended for these 2 different types of congenital nasal masses, but it is important to distinguish between the two since the former requires neurosurgical co-management with the ENT surgeon. Hemangioma is another potential cause of a soft tissue mass over the nose.
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Steve Dankle, MD
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Milwaukee, Wis
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