Unusual case of accessory nose associated with unilateral complete congenital choanal atresia.

We report here an extremely rare and unusual case of accessory nose associated with unilateral complete congenital choanal atresia. Although other types of nasal congenital nasal anomalies are not rare, however, extreme rarity of nose duplication is worth reporting, as it is an extremely rare type of nasal congenital deformity.

Endoscopic resection of a mucocele of the crista galli.

Mucoceles expand by the process of bone resorption and new bone formation, which leads to local destruction and displacement of adjacent structures. We present the case of a 47-year-old woman who presented with recurrent headaches, nausea, and vomiting, all of which were believed to have occurred secondary to a mucocele of the crista galli. To the best of our knowledge, only 1 similar case has been previously reported in the world literature; in that case, the crista galli was drained externally. In our patient, resolution of symptoms was achieved by endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy, endoscopic frontal sinusotomy, and drainage of the mucocele under image guidance. We recommend that an endoscopic surgical approach be considered for the management of mucoceles of the crista galli.

Silastic injection for vocal fold medialization resulting in a false-positive finding on F18 FDG-PET/CT.

A false-positive uptake of F18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) on positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) can result in confusion and misinterpretation of scans. Such uptakes have been previously described after injection of polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) into the vocal folds. Similarly, vocal fold injection of silicone elastomer (Silastic) can result not only in a false-positive FDG uptake on PET/CT, but also in chronic inflammation. We report a case of increased FDG uptake in a vocal fold after Silastic injection that was misinterpreted as a malignancy in a 70-year-old woman who had metastatic carcinoma of the stomach.

Feasibility of a synthetic temporal bone for training in mastoidectomy: face, content, and concurrent validity.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the face, content, and concurrent validity of the synthetic Pettigrew temporal bone (PTB) for mastoidectomy training as compared with cadaveric temporal bone (CTB). STUDY DESIGN: A prospective evaluation study. METHODS: Participants were invited to perform a step-by-step modified radical mastoidectomy using both bones and complete a 22-item, 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. The questionnaire is divided into 4 domains: face validity (FV), global content (GC), task-specific content (TSC), and curriculum recommendation (CR). RESULTS: Thirty-six experts and 89 trainees completed all tasks, 63 using CTB and 62 using PTB. The PTB median FV was 4 (IQR: 4-5), GC of 4 (IQR: 4-5), TSC of 4 (IQR: 3-4), and CR of 4 (IQR: 4-5). The CTB was rated significantly higher than PTB by both groups in all domains; CTB FV: 5 (IQR: 4-5), GC: 5 (IQR: 4-5), TSC: 5 (IQR: 4-5), and CR: 5 (IQR: 5-5), p < 0.001 for each. Trainees rated PTB significantly higher than experts in all domains. There was no statistically significant difference between experts and trainees in rating the CTB in all domains. PTB gives similar haptic feedback to CTB, allows the use of suction and irrigation, has the important landmarks painted for identification, and contains articulating ossicles. The facial nerve anatomy was found to be inaccurate around the region of the second genu. CONCLUSION: Participants found PTB to be valid for teaching some, yet not all, aspects of mastoid surgery, and experts agreed that it could improve global transferrable otologic skills. It is essential that the facial nerve anatomy is addressed before recommending this model.

Surgical management of bilateral parotid lipomatosis in a patient with HIV.

BACKGROUND: The long-term use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has led to sequelae including lipodystrophy syndrome (LDS). We present the first published case of surgical management of bilateral parotid lipomatosis in a patient with HIV on long-term HAART. METHODS: We undertook review of the case notes from the time of diagnosis with HIV and literature review of this topic. RESULTS: A 45-year-old man with HIV on HAART presented with a 4-year history of increasing bilateral facial swelling. He was asymptomatic apart from the stigmatizing cosmetic deformity. MRI revealed the parotid glands had been replaced by fat. He elected for surgery and parotid lipomatosis was diagnosed on histopathological examination. CONCLUSION: Lipohypertrophy in LDS is rare in the literature and this presentation of bilateral parotid lipomatosis secondary to HAART is only the third reported case, and the first to undergo surgical resection.

Rare sarcoma presented as sinusitis.

Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) also known as myxoid variant of malignant fibrous histocytoma is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities in adult and elderly patients with rare occurrences in head and neck region. Low-grade MFS is unusual among low-grade sarcomas because it often recurs relentlessly and multiplies despite wide local resection with gross negative margins. We report a case of extreme rarity and a tumour of aggressive nature in the maxillary sinus, which presented with non-specific sinonasal symptoms and we present a review of the radiological and histopathological characteristics of this rare tumour and recent evidence of management.

Balloon Sinuplasty: balloon-catheter dilation of paranasal sinus ostia for chronic rhinosinusitis.

More than 100 million patients worldwide suffer from chronic rhinosinusitis, and a considerable amount of money has been spent on research and treatments by healthcare providers. In the northern hemisphere, damp, temperate climates, along with higher concentrations of pollen, are associated with a higher prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis. Owing to its persistent nature, the disease can become a significant cause of morbidity. If untreated, it can reduce quality of life and productivity. When medical treatment is not effective, surgery may offer an excellent outcome. Although functional endoscopic surgery has proven to be effective, many cases could be managed medically. Recent research has suggested that optimal medical treatment is as effective as surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis at the end of 1 year. Balloon Sinuplasty (Acclarent, Inc., CA, USA) is a new technique in the management of sinusitis and is a hotly debated topic. It is a delicate, minimally invasive tool, and early research demonstrates promising outcomes in terms of safety and effectiveness. This novel technique has been approved by the US FDA. Recently, NICE raised no concerns regarding its safety and efficacy but will continue to review this procedure.