Hemorrhagic tonsillitis in an infant: A case report.

This case report describes a case of severe hemorrhagic tonsillitis in a nine month-old child who suffered significant amount of blood loss and was emergently taken to operating room for control of hemorrhage. The child was brought to emergency room by mom after noticing blood around child's mouth and nose and a subsequent episode of hematemesis having awoken from sleep. Initial impression was bleeding secondary to epistaxis however a thorough bedside otolaryngology exam including flexible rhinolaryngoscopy ruled this out. Rapid pooling of blood in oropharynx, continued hemorrhage with significant blood loss and recent history of hematemesis prompted emergent intervention in operating room for endoscopy for control of hemorrhage including esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Bleeding was identified from a blood vessel at left lower tonsil pole. Although there is a description in literature of such cases, these are uncommon in the pediatric population and none has been described in a patient this young requiring emergent operative intervention. This case report discusses the diagnostic and decision making dilemma in an infant in setting of ongoing active hemorrhage and the role of multidisciplinary team management.

A cadaveric study quantifying the anatomical landmarks of the facial artery and its parapharyngeal branches for safe transoral surgery.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhage remains a major potential risk when performing any form of transoral surgery. This is the first study to focus on the location of the facial artery "bulb" (FaB) and its tonsillar branches within the parapharyngeal space (PPS) from the perspective of the transoral surgeon. METHOD: A total of 44 hemi-sections were dissected via the transoral approach with endoscopic assistance: 26 from fresh-frozen specimens and 18 formalin-fixed hemi-sections. The distance from the superior apex of the FaB to the pterygoid hamulus (PH) was recorded, and the arterial branching variations described. RESULTS: The average distance from the PH to the FaB was 4.17 ± 0.4 cm. In 90.9% of cases, the two tonsillar artery branches passed between styloglossus muscle (SGM) and stylopharyngeus muscle (SPM). CONCLUSION: Understanding the FaB location and its branching patterns offers the surgeon confidence dissecting in the PPS transorally.

Superb Microvascular Imaging of Palatine Tonsils in Healthy Children: A Preliminary Study.

In healthy children, the normal vascularity index (VI) values were defined for palatine tonsils using the superb microvascular imaging (SMI), and the relationship with potential factors affecting these values was assessed. This prospective study evaluated 74 children (age range = 3-17 years, median = 13 years, SD = 6.4 years). The cases were divided into 3 subgroups based on age as 3 to 6 years (preschool), 7 to 12 years (school age), and 13 to 17 years (adolescent). Demographic data such as sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. The VI values of tonsils were measured with SMI and power Doppler (PD), and the correlation with descriptive data was researched. The Student t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman ρ correlation coefficient were used. The mean VI values on the right tonsil were calculated as 7.5% and 2.6% and on the left tonsil were 6.5% and 2.3% according to SMI and PD, respectively. On SMI, the vascularity was similar in the preschool and school-age groups, with a significant reduction between the school-age and adolescent groups. As BMI increased, tonsil vascularity reduced on SMI and PD. There was no significant difference in tonsil vascularity between the sexes. The VI values were identified to be higher on SMI compared with PD (P = 0.001). In healthy children, the normal VI values for both tonsils were determined with SMI and PD. On SMI, tonsil vascularity reduced significantly in the transition from school age to adolescence. Tonsil vascularity was affected by variations in BMI.

[Treatment analyses of 143 patients with maxillofacial and cervical venous malformations involved in isthmus faucium area].

Objective: To analyze the clinical data and summarize therapeutic experiences of cervicofacial venous malformations involving isthmus faucium area. Methods: Clinical records from 143 patients with venous malformations involving isthmus faucium area treated at our hospital between January 2012 and January 2016 were reviewed. There were 70 males and 73 females. Age ranged from 1 to 52 years old, with a median age of 14.5 years. There were 19 cases with lesions involving in only 1 subanatomic area above and 124 cases with lesions involving in more than 1 subanatomic areas, including 63 cases with lesions involving in more than 2 areas. There were 50 patients presenting with additional maxillofacial and cervical lesions. Clinical symptoms included snoring (n=98), indistinct phonation (n=49), and tonsil hypertrophy more than degree Ⅱ (n=19). Tracheotomy was performed in 3 patients prior to hospitalization, contigency tracheotomy during hospitalization in 10 patients, and oral trachea cannula in other patients. All therapeutic procedures, including single chemical ablation with ethanol injection (n=94), single lesion resection (n=9) and both of them (n=40), were performed under general anesthesia. Treatment remedies included mesh suture, macroglossia reduction and excision of maxillofacial and cervical lesions for patients presenting with extensive malformations extending to maxillofacial and cervical area. Tonsil resection were done in patients having tonsil venous malformations or tonsil hypertrophy more than degree II. Achauer's 4-grade criterion was applied to evaluate the treatment outcomes. SPSS 18.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: Trachea cannula were not extubated untill 24 to 48 hours after treatment. Emergency tracheotomy was done in 2 cases after extubations because of dyspnea, and successful extubations were obtained in other cases. There were no advents of pulmonary vascular spasm or pulmonary embolism. There was significant difference between before and after operation (snore: χ(2)=105.431, ambiguous pronunciation: χ(2)=59.698, tonsil hypertrophy more than degree Ⅱ: χ(2)=33.530, all P<0.01). The patients were followed-up for 1-4 years, and there were 123 cases at grade Ⅳ (complete disappear of lesions in 62 cases without recurrence), 17 at grade Ⅲ , 3 at grade Ⅱ, and no case at gradeⅠ. Conclusions: Chemical ablation with ethanol injection for venous malformations involving isthmus faucium area is recommended, wheras combined remedies including injection, mesh suture, macroglossia reduction, and excision of cervicofacial lesions are suggested in treatment of extensive lesions extending to maxillofacial and cervical area. Tonsil resection should be done in patients having tonsil venous malformations or tonsil hypertrophy more than degree Ⅱ, which is safe and highly effective, with good reservation of function, in the treatment of maxillofacial and cervical venous malformations involving isthmus faucium area.

[Identification of the specific topographic features of the neck vessels for the prevention of bleedings during tonsillectomy]. / Identifikatsiia osobennostei topografii sosudov shei v profilaktike krovotechenii pri tonzilléktomii.

The objective of the present work was to study syntopy of the large neck vessels in relation to the capsule of palatine tonsils with the use of the MRI technology. A total of 109 patients (218 palatine tonsils) presenting with chronic tonsillitis were available for the examination including 64 women and 45 men at the age varying from 15 to 54 years. All of them underwent MRI-guided vascular visualization in the paratonsillar region together with the measurements of the vessels extending to the capsule of the palatine tonsils at the level of the upper and lower poles, and also close to the mid-third of each palatine tonsil. The distance from the external carotid artery to the upper and lower poles of the palatine tonsils was found to be 17.1±1.01 mm and 10.3±0.18 mm respectively and in the mid-third the palatine tonsil 10.7±0.12 mm; the distance from the internal carotid artery to the upper and low poles of the palatine tonsil amounted to 14.5±0.84 mm and 16.8±0.77 mm respectively while that to the mid-third of the palatine tonsil was 15.3±0.07 mm. The branches of the external carotid artery feeding the palatine tonsils are the most frequent sources of bleedings; the following measurements were obtained: the maxillary artery 16.4±0.43 mm (17.4%) - the upper pole 9.6±0.02 mm (46.2%), the mid-third of the palatine tonsil 18.5±0.74 mm (29.5%) - the lower pole; the lingual artery 4.7±0.02 mm (6.8%) - the mid-third of the palatine tonsil, 6.2±0.82 mm (56.8%) - the lower pole; facial artery: 4.2±0.01 mm (0.76%) - the mid-third of the palatine tonsil; the occipital artery 25.6±0.12 mm (19%) - the upper pole; 14.8±0.11 mm (18.9%) - the mid-third of the palatine tonsil 9.56±0.12 mm (3.8%) - the lower pole; the tonsillar artery 1.88±0.01 mm (9.8%) - the upper pole; 2.51±0.01 mm (23%) - the mid-third of the palatine tonsil; 2.12±0.01 mm (11%) - the lower pole. The distance from the internal jugular vein to the capsule of the palatine tonsils in the region of the upper pole of the palatine tonsil was 28.3±1.01 mm, in the lower pole region 26.6±1.54 mm, and in the region of the mid-third of the palatine tonsil 22.7±1.24 mm. It is concluded that the results of the present study may be useful for the planning of the surgical strategy for the treatment of the patients presenting with chronic tonsillitis and for the prevention of hemorrhagic complications of tonsillectomy.

Relationship between Vascular Resistance and Sympathetic Nerve Fiber Density in Arterial Vessels in Children With Sleep Disordered Breathing.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disordered breathing in children is associated with increased blood flow velocity and sympathetic overactivity. Sympathetic overactivity results in peripheral vasoconstriction and reduced systemic vascular compliance, which increases blood flow velocity during systole. Augmented blood flow velocity is recognized to promote vascular remodeling. Importantly, increased vascular sympathetic nerve fiber density and innervation in early life plays a key role in the development of early-onset hypertension in animal models. Examination of sympathetic nerve fiber density of the tonsillar arteries in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for Sleep disordered breathing will address this question in humans. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirteen children scheduled for adenotonsillectomy to treat sleep disordered breathing underwent pupillometry, polysomnography, flow-mediated dilation, resting brachial artery blood flow velocity (velocity time integral), and platelet aggregation. The dorsal lingual artery (tonsil) was stained and immunofluorescence techniques used to determine sympathetic nerve fiber density. Sympathetic nerve fiber density was correlated with increased resting velocity time integral (r=0.63; P<0.05) and a lower Neuronal Pupillary Index (r=-0.71, P<0.01), as well as a slower mean pupillary constriction velocity (mean, r=-0.64; P<0.05). A faster resting velocity time integral was associated with a slower peak pupillary constriction velocity (r=-0.77; P<0.01) and higher platelet aggregation to collagen antigen (r=0.64; P<0.05). Slower mean and peak pupillary constriction velocity were associated with higher platelet aggregation scores (P<0.05; P<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that sympathetic activity is associated with change in both the function and structure of systemic vasculature in children with sleep disordered breathing.

[Causes and management of pediatric spontaneous tonsillar haemorrhage].

Objective: To analyze the causes and management plan of pediatric spontaneous tonsillar haemorrhage(STH). Methods: According to the criteria of STH difined by Griffies, patients with STH from December 2013 to January 2016 were included in this retrospective study. Results: A total of 11 patients were reviewed. The etiological diagnosis included 3 pediatric Epstein-Barr virus associated infectious mononucleosis(EBV-IM), 3 suspected pediatric EBV-IM to 3 acute suppurative tonsillitis, 1 acute viral tonsillitis and 1 hemophilia A. The management strategies included antiviral, antibacteria, transfusion, surgical examination followed with bipolar coagulation hemostasis under general anesthesia. No patient treated with tosillectomy. Conclusions: STH is now a rare condition, the causes of which in child are more or less different from adult.This emergency can be treated in time if a detailed management plan for pediatric STH is formulated.

Urgent decisions and a tight spot: embolic infarction of a herniated cerebellar tonsil.

A previously well 30-year-old woman presented at 17:30 with a sudden onset of dizziness, ataxia and headache. She was initially investigated with a CT scan of the brain and lumbar puncture, which yielded no diagnosis. Subsequent MR scan revealed multiple posterior circulation infarcts, along with a previously undiagnosed Arnold-Chiari 2 malformation with an associated syrinx of her cervical and thoracic spine. The infarct involved one of the herniated cerebellar tonsils. Oedema of an infarct in the herniated tonsils caused compression of the medulla at the foramen magnum, with associated neurological symptoms including Lhermitte's phenomenon and headache on valsalva manoeuvre. Owing to these symptoms a surgical decompression was performed. The most likely aetiology of her stroke was determined to be a paradoxical embolus via patent foramen ovale.

Ultrastructure of the human palatine tonsil and its functional significance.

The human palatine tonsils represent a mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue with a significant function in mucosal protection against alimentary and airborne pathogens. The ultrastructure of different morphological compartments in the human palatine tonsil was studied in eighteen tonsils obtained from the patients who had undergone elective tonsillectomy due to chronic tonsillitis. The tonsillar specimens were analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed the presence of tight junctions between superficial epithelial cells of the oropharyngeal tonsillar surface. The crypt epithelium is a sponge-like structure infiltrated by non-epithelial cells, mostly lymphocytes, and is characterized by the presence of small pores - microcrypts occupied by large microvillus cells and/or lymphocytes. Antigen-presenting Langerhans cells with typical intracytoplasmic Birbeck granules were also found in the crypt epithelium. The lymphoid follicles are composed of lymphocytes and two types of non-lymphoid follicular cells: small fibroblast-like cells and large cells, morphologically consistent with antigen-bearing follicular dendritic cells or macrophages. The interfollicular areas consisted of a dense network of reticular cells and reticular fibers; many lymphocytes were interspersed between the reticular fibers. In addition to arterioles and high endothelial venules in the interfollicular lymphoid tissue, some fenestrated capillaries were seen intraepithelially and subepithelially. The complex ultrastructure of the human palatine tonsil provides a microenvironment necessary for antigen uptake, antigen processing and immune response.

[Idiopathic spontaneous tonsillar hemorrhage]. / Idiopatik spontan tonsil kanamasi.

Since the advent of antibiotics, major spontaneous tonsillar hemorrhage is extremely rare. The majority of the spontaneous tonsillar hemorrhage events is associated with acute or chronic tonsillitis, coagulopathies, or tonsillar cancer. A 36-year-old female patient was admitted to the otolaryngology department with the complaint of tonsillar hemorrhage. The patient had no history of prior trauma, coagulopathy, malignancy and infection sign. Preoperatively, carotid angiography was performed to detect any arteriovenous malformation of tonsillar vessels. The carotid angiography results were within normal ranges. The patient underwent tonsillectomy and no perioperative complication was occurred. Management of idiopathic spontaneous tonsillar hemorrhage may be challenging for the clinician and may require tonsillectomy.

Tonsillar pulsatility before and after surgical decompression for children with Chiari malformation type 1: an application for true fast imaging with steady state precession.

INTRODUCTION: We hypothesize that surgical decompression for Chiari malformation type 1 (CM-1) is associated with statistically significant decrease in tonsillar pulsatility and that the degree of pulsatility can be reliably assessed regardless of the experience level of the reader. METHODS: An Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant retrospective study was performed on 22 children with CM-1 (8 males; mean age 11.4 years) who had cardiac-gated true-FISP sequence and phase-contrast cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow imaging as parts of routine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging before and after surgical decompression. The surgical technique (decompression with or without duraplasty) was recorded for each patient. Three independent radiologists with different experience levels assessed tonsillar pulsatility qualitatively and quantitatively and assessed peritonsillar CSF flow qualitatively. Results were analyzed. To evaluate reliability, Fleiss kappa for multiple raters on categorical variables and intra-class correlation for agreement in pulsatility ratings were calculated. RESULTS: After surgical decompression, the degree of tonsillar pulsatility appreciably decreased, confirmed by t test, both qualitatively (p values <0.001, <0.001, and 0.045 for three readers) and quantitatively (amount of decrease/p value for three readers 0.7 mm/<0.001, 0.7 mm/<0.001, and 0.5 mm/0.022). There was a better agreement among the readers in quantitative assessment of tonsillar pulsatility (kappa 0.753-0.834), compared to qualitative assessment of pulsatility (kappa 0.472-0.496) and qualitative assessment of flow (kappa 0.056 to 0.203). Posterior fossa decompression with duraplasty led to a larger decrease in tonsillar pulsatility, compared to posterior fossa decompression alone. CONCLUSION: Tonsillar pulsatility in CM-1 is significantly reduced after surgical decompression. Quantitative assessment of tonsillar pulsatility was more reliable across readers than qualitative assessments of tonsillar pulsatility or CSF flow.

Liability under post-tonsillectomy lethal bleeding of the tonsillar artery: a report of two cases.

Post-operative haemorrhage is a frequent complication of tonsillectomy: a primary haemorrhage occurring in the first hours is rapidly dealt with by the surgical team. A secondary haemorrhage, which commonly occurs once the child has returned home, can be fatal if it is not dealt with quickly. We present two cases of a lethal outcome in children following a secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage, for which the parents filed legal proceedings. Medical liability can be exercised during all stages of health care. Performing an autopsy associated with histological analyses is found to be indispensable for the identification of the causes of bleeding, as well as its mechanism.

[Peculiarities of blood supply of palatal tonsils and the potential risk of hemorrhage during tonsillectomy: the literature review and case report].

The present review encompasses the publications concerning peculiarities of blood supply of palatal tonsils, the frequency and variants of the anomalous structure of internal carotid artery. Analysis of the literature data has shown that the anomalous vascular structure is one of the important risk factors of the development of intra- and postoperative hemorrhage, besides redundant blood supply of the oropharynx, inflammatory changes in the tissue of tonsils and peritonsillar region. Special attention is given to the peculiarities of diagnostics of such conditions. The emphasis is laid on the importance of timely diagnostics of the anomalous structural changes in the main vessels of the neck prior to the surgical intervention on the pharynx. The analysis of the anomalous structure of internal carotid artery is presented.

Evaluation of microvascular density in inflammatory lesions and carcinoma of palatine tonsil.

The tonsil carcinoma with squamous cells seems to be one of the neoplastic lesions with a growing incidence worldwide, even in those geographical areas where the smoking incidence has been reduced. In the disease etiopathogenesis, more factors are incriminated. Among these, the most frequently mentioned are smoking, alcohol consumption and the infection with the Human Papilloma Virus. Among the morphological modifications incriminated for the tumoral appearance and development, there is also included the angiogenesis process that involves the apparition of new blood vessels out from the pre-existent ones, vessels that bring a plus of oxygen and nutritive substances for the tumoral cells. Taking into consideration the fact that the tumoral process is most often accompanied by an inflammatory reaction, in our study we also determined the microvascular density in the carcinoma with squamous cells in the palatine tonsil and in chronic tonsillitis, compared to the vascular density in normal tonsil stroma. We quantified the reaction of the mast cells in the stroma of the two types of lesions, too. The microvascular density in the carcinoma with squamous cells in the palatine tonsil was a lot greater than the microvascular density in chronic tonsillitis. The maximum number of blood vessels in tumoral lesions as well as their area, quantified through the "hot spot" technique on the surface unit, was around two times greater than in chronic tonsillitis. The number of mast cells was significantly larger in chronic tonsillitis and in tonsil carcinoma, too, but the reaction of these cells in the inflammatory affections was more intense than in the neoplastic lesions.