[Alarm and detection signs of upper digestive and respiratory tract cancers]. / Signes d'appel des cancers des voies aérodigestives supérieures.

Upper digestive and respiratory tract cancers represent, in frequency, the fourth cancer in the general population. They are responsible of non-specific symptoms. Clinical examination of this anatomical region is difficult for a layman for whom the specific material is not available to diagnose a small tumour The objective of this paper was to make more sensitive the general practictioners about these type of cancers.

[Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome]. / Syndrome d'apnées obstructives du sommeil.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is a common disorder associated with potentially severe complications. Polysomnography is the gold standard diagnostic tool, while CPAP ventilation is recognized as the most efficient therapy. The numerous symptoms, even though little specific, should be rapidly detected to screen for the syndrome and transfer the patient to an adequate healthcare facility. The severity of the condition depends on the complications it causes.

FDG-PET scan in local follow-up of irradiated head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

We performed a prospective study to assess the value of positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) in the prediction of local control in irradiated head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Forty-two patients with irradiated HNSCCs underwent 49 FDG-PET scans between 3 and 6 months after the end of radiotherapy. The mean follow-up time after the first FDG-PET scan was 17 months. The result of the FDG-PET scan was true-positive in 6 patients, false-positive in 7 patients, and true-negative in 29 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of FDG-PET scanning were 100%, 81%, 46%, and 100%, respectively. We conclude that FDG-PET scanning is useful for prediction of therapy outcome in irradiated HNSCCs. No biopsy is needed for at least 1 year if an FDG-PET scan is negative. If the scan is positive and the biopsy is negative, decreased FDG uptake measured in a follow-up scan indicates that a local recurrence is unlikely.

[Complications with totally implantable venous access device. A retrospective of 116 cases]. / Complications des chambres à cathéter implantables. Etudes rétrospective de 116 cas.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the complications related to implantation and use of totally implantable venous access devices (TIVAD). METHODS: Retrospective study based on 116 TIVAD involving 113 adult patients (93M/20F, mean age 59 years). The implantation was achieved under local anaesthesia (69% of cases) and under general anaesthesia (31% of cases). RESULTS: The total TIVAD follow-up time was of 45 963 days (mean per device: 396 days). We used cephalic vein (95 cases), subclavian vein (13), internal jugular vein (4) and external jugular vein (4). A total of 27 complications were observed: 2 were related to the implantation (1 haematoma, 1 wrong positioning of the catheter), 25 were due to the use of the device, among which: 10 septicaemias (0.22/1 000 catheter days), 6 deep vein thrombosis (0.13/1 000 catheter days), 4 catheter obliterations (0.09/1 000 catheter days), one local infection (0.02/1 000 catheter days) and 4 catheter disconnections (0.09/1 000 catheter days) including 3 intra-cardiac migrations due to a defective model. These complications led to early removal of 14% of devices. The side of implantation and the type of venous access had no statistically significant incidence on postoperative complications. Operative accidents were avoided by the predominant use of venous access by dissection rather than by puncture. CONCLUSION: The complications described were considerable, notably during the intensive use of TIVAD. However they must not mask the benefits of such devices. They justify the training of medical staff and the development of preventive measures.

Relevance of 5 different imaging signs in the evaluation of carotid artery invasion by cervical lymphadenopathy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the relevance of 5 different imaging signs in the evaluation of carotid artery invasion. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between September 2001 and September 2008, 22 patients (20 men and 2 women) presented with lymph node metastasis of a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that invaded the carotid artery. The patients received either carotid artery dissection (CAD, group 1 [n = 17]) or carotid resection (group 2 [n = 5]). Preoperative images using CT (n = 18) and/or MRI (n = 14) were analyzed. RESULTS: In 1 of 17 cases in group 1 and in 5 of 5 cases in group 2, encasement of more than 180 degrees of the artery was present (P < .05). Segmental obliteration of the fat between the lymph node and the carotid artery was noted in 7 of 17 cases in group 1 and for all cases in group 2 (P < .05). Deformation of the carotid artery was reported in no cases in group 1 and in all cases in group 2 (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The combination of deformation of the carotid artery, encasement of more than 180 degrees of the carotid perimeter, and segmental obliteration of the fat between the adenopathy and the carotid artery was highly predictive of massive invasion of the carotid artery, which would require a resection en bloc. In comparison, the isolated existence of encasement of more than 180 degrees or segmental obliteration of fat could not strictly indicate massive invasion of the carotid artery; thus, CAD could be planned.

Ultrasonic partial glossectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Partial glossectomy is the main treatment for tongue carcinoma. The resection of the tongue, which is a very vascularised tissue, requires a good hemostasis. The advantage of the harmonic scalpel is in combining sectioning and hemostasis in one single instrument, allowing a bloodless dissection of soft tissue. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the benefits and risks when using a harmonic scalpel in partial glossectomy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this prospective study conducted in a university hospital from march 2004 to December 2008, eighteen consecutive patients underwent a partial glossectomy with the use of harmonic scalpel. Results were compared with previous surgical procedures performed between September 2000 and February 2004 by monopolar hemostasis by our team (n = 12) when the harmonic scalpel was not available. RESULTS: All 18 patients underwent partial glossectomy with the harmonic scalpel as the only instrument of section and hemostasis. The median blood loss was of 0 mL. The median operative time was 29 minutes (16 minutes less than partial glossectomies performed with conventional hemostasis. P < .001). No operative complications occurred. Two post-operative bleedings (5 days and 7 days after the glossectomy) occurred necessitating a new surgery to ligate the lingual artery. The margins of the resection were acceptable and no recurrence appeared. CONCLUSION: The harmonic scalpel makes it fast and easy to perform a partial glossectomy with no bleeding. Ligation of the lingual artery (when it is visualized during the dissection) should be performed because of the frequency (more than 10% in our series) and because of the potential gravity of a lingual post-operative bleeding.

Carotid artery resection and reconstruction with superficial femoral artery transplantation: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Managing advanced head and neck cancer is often a difficult task, particularly when massive invasion of the carotid artery is present. However, en bloc resection can be a curative procedure, and reconstruction of the carotid artery limits the risk for stroke. The aim of this study was to describe the interest, indication, potential risks, and methods by which we carried out resections as well as reconstructions of the carotid artery using superficial femoral artery transplantation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We presented one case of en bloc resection of the carotid artery with reconstruction with superficial femoral artery transplantation. RESULTS: Postoperative care was uneventful. The patient did not suffer from neurological deficiency. After three years of follow-up, the patient survived without any cancer recurrence. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of massive cancer invasion into the carotid artery should not be a contraindication for surgery. En bloc resection of the carotid artery with revascularization using the superficial femoral artery allows for appropriate control of the cancer, and carries an acceptable level of neurological risk.

Comparison of LigaSure vessel sealing system, harmonic scalpel, and conventional hemostasis in total thyroidectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the efficiency, safety, and cost of the different methods of hemostasis (conventional hemostasis versus LigaSure vessel sealing system [LVSS] versus harmonic scalpel) currently available for thyroid surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: The study was conducted from September 2007 to December 2008 in a university hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients (48 females and 12 males) underwent a total thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter. They were randomly assigned into three groups: group one (n = 20), conventional hemostasis; group two (n = 20), LigaSure; and group three (n = 20), harmonic scalpel. RESULTS: For group three, the mean operative time was 37 minutes shorter than group one (P < 0.001) and eight minutes shorter than group two (P = 0.04). The complications rate was similar among the three groups. The mean postoperative paracetamol consummation in group one was 1.4 g greater than in group two (P = 0.016) and 1.3 g greater than in group three (P = 0.02). The overall average operative cost was 11 and 85 dollars cheaper for groups two and three than for group one, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Total thyroidectomy using the harmonic scalpel was the fastest procedure because it was bloodless, and hemostasis and sectioning were controlled with a single instrument; it was, therefore, the most inexpensive procedure because of the reduction of operative time and staff cost. The operative safety was similar for all three procedures. In our series, the harmonic scalpel and the LVSS caused less pain than the conventional hemostasis.