Osteoma of the base of the tongue.

A 14-year-old girl developed a firm mass at the base of the tongue. Computed tomography indicated marked density suggesting either a foreign body or bony tissue. A thyroid scan confirmed the presence of a normally sized and positioned gland. The mass was removed in toto and found to be an osteoma. This is the first report of a case in which the diagnosis of this rare developmental lesion of the tongue was achieved preoperatively based on clinical and radiologic information. This experience should lead to greater awareness of this entity in the future. Recognition of this entity in the pediatric age group is especially useful in avoiding misdiagnosis of other, potentially more aggressive types of tongue mass lesions. Our case demonstrates that it is possible to detect this entity using computed tomography. The dense calcification is truly characteristic of the tumor and may be relied upon to exclude alternative soft tissue mass lesions. While other forms of osseous and cartilagenous neoplasms, such as extraskeletal osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma, have been reported arising in the tongue, their malignant nature should otherwise be readily apparent. Osteoma of the tongue is the favored diagnosis when mature bone tissue is imaged at the base of the tongue.

External and middle ear status related to evoked otoacoustic emission in neonates.

OBJECTIVE: Screening auditory status prior to neonatal hospital discharge to identify newborns with severe hearing impairment is an important pediatric care priority. Evoked otoacoustic emission (OAE) testing is a quick noninvasive method. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between external auditory canal and middle ear status with click-evoked OAE. It was hypothesized that vernix caseosa, debris in the ear canal, and middle ear fluid contribute to the OAE fail rate. DESIGN: All neonates had an initial OAE examination. A second investigator, "blinded" to the results, examined all ears otoscopically, cleaned any obstructing debris, and repeated with a second OAE test. SETTING: All neonates were tested in a designated nursery at a mean age of 43 +/- 21 hours. PATIENTS: Forty-one full-term neonates were prospectively enrolled. INTERVENTION: The ear canals with debris were cleaned under direct vision with a pediatric swab dampened by an alcohol wipe. OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome measure was the postcleaning OAE pass rate. RESULTS: The preotoscopic examination pass rate of 82 ears was 76%. The OAE pass rate improved to 91% after debris removal. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the examination and cleaning of the external ear canal are important components of the neonatal screening process.

Easy bruisability, aspirin intolerance, and response to DDAVP.

Easy bruisability raises the issue of bleeding during otolaryngological surgery. Ten female patients with easy bruisability were evaluated by aspirin challenge; clinical history and screening coagulation studies in these patients had revealed no evidence of a bleeding disorder. The baseline Ivy bleeding time (BT) test (4.5 to 9.5 minutes) was found to be normal in 6 patients and prolonged in 4 patients. Following treatment with aspirin, the bleeding time prolonged significantly in the three groups evaluated: normal controls (6.0 +/- 1.5 minutes vs. 8.4 +/- 2.0 minutes), patients with easy bruisability and a normal baseline (7.8 +/- 1.3 minutes vs. 12.0 +/- 1.6 minutes), and patients with easy bruisability and an abnormal baseline (11.0 +/- 0.7 minutes vs. 14.5 +/- 0.9 minutes). Administration of DDAVP (desmopressin acetate) 0.3 microgram/kg normalized the prolonged bleeding times in all groups after 7 days of daily aspirin therapy. Performing bleeding times before aspirin challenge, after aspirin challenge, and after DDAVP therapy following aspirin challenge is both a useful way of confirming aspirin sensitivity in patients with easy bruisability as well as a useful way of documenting improved hemostasis after DDAVP administration.

Rhinitis during pregnancy and rhinitis medicamentosa.

Vasomotor rhinitis is a nonspecific disorder that is caused neither by infection nor allergy but rather by an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system with a preponderant action of parasympathetic fibers on nasal blood vessels. Rhinitis during pregnancy appears to result from the increased production of estrogen; increased estrogen levels caused by treatment, puberty, or liver disease may also cause rhinitis. Nasal saline mist, antihistamines, and topical corticosteroids are recommended; intranasal corticosteroid injections are also useful but must be administered under expert care. Rhinitis medicamentosa results from overuse of topical vasoconstrictors, which produce a rebound phenomenon. Rebound can also result from numerous medications, including antihypertensive preparations that reduce catecholamine levels, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and tranquilizers. Management of rhinitis medicamentosa consists in limiting the use of vasoconstrictors to no more than 3 days and giving the patient saline nasal sprays, daytime oral vasoconstrictors, and nocturnal antihistamines. Corticosteroids, preferably topical nasal steroids rather than even a short-term course of systemic administration, should also be used.

Reconstruction of post-traumatic sinus osteomyelitis.

Osteomyelitis with a fistulous tract of the left fronto-nasal area. The patient received an Anzio Beachhead WW II right fronto-nasal injury repaired with a lucite cranioplasty. A staphylococcal infection involved the remnant of the left frontal sinus with a fistula at the nasion near the orbital ridge. Bone scan revealed increased activity consistent with osteomyelitis. Patient was treated with intravenous oxacillin. The lucite skull prosthesis was removed 2 weeks after admission via the bilateral osteoplastic coronal flap approach with fat obliteration of the residual frontal sinus. The intravenous oxacillin was maintained for 48 days and the patient was discharged. The patient was later readmitted for a cranioplasty using a preformed tantalum plate. The nasal flange of the tantalum caused a deformity that did not allow the patient to wear his glasses. His third admission was for reconstruction of the tantalum and nasal deformity via a W-shaped incision.

Iontophoresis treatment.

Iontophoresis can be used as a method of treating herpes simplex virus and aphthous gingivostomatis. Idoxuridine has been used for herpes simplex virus, and corticosteroids and antibiotics have been used for aphthous stomatitis. Levamisole hydrochloride has been used for both herpes simplex virus and recurrent aphthous stomatitis. A lidocaine and adrenaline mixture is used with iontophoresis for myringotomy procedures and equalizing tubes. Also, anesthesia of the skin and subcutaneous tissues with lidocaine hydrochloride by iontophoresis are useful for minor surgical procedures ("ouchless surgery").