Extracranial internal carotid artery aneurysm presenting as symptomatic hypoglossal and glossopharyngeal nerve paralysis.

Aneurysms of the extracranial portion of the internal carotid artery are rare, particularly in young patients. They usually develop following trauma, or secondary to infection involving the parapharyngeal space that extends to the vessel wall. This is a case of an internal carotid artery aneurysm presenting acutely following chiropractic neck manipulation with hypoglossal and glossopharyngeal nerve palsy. The imaging findings and subsequent operative management are described.

Ultrasound-guided biopsy in the evaluation of focal lesions and diffuse swelling of the parotid gland.

We describe the technique of ultrasound-guided core biopsy with a spring-loaded device in 54 patients who presented with palpable lesions of the parotid gland. Biopsy provided a sample suitable for histological analysis in all patients and was done quickly and safely under local anaesthesia. Initial diagnostic ultrasound confirmed the presence of focal palpable lesions and identified additional impalpable lesions in seven patients. Core biopsy was 100% accurate in differentiating benign from malignant disease. The diagnosis was accurate in 27 of the 28 patients who were subsequently operated on. Twenty-six patients avoided an unnecessary operation. The technique is also useful in patients with diffuse enlargement of the parotid gland and provides a core of tissue for accurate assessment of tissue architecture.

Ultrasound-guided cutting-needle biopsy of the parotid gland.

We describe the technique of ultrasound-guided 18 gauge (1.2 mm) needle biopsy in 16 patients with parotid gland lesions. This provides material suitable for histological analysis and can be performed quickly and safely under local anaesthesia. Thirteen of the patients had non-diagnostic blind fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) with a 21 gauge (0.8 mm) needle prior to biopsy. Initial ultrasound was found to be superior to clinical examination in 31 per cent of cases. The ultrasound-guided technique provided a diagnostic specimen in 100 per cent of patients and was helpful where FNAC had been inconclusive. There was a diagnostic accuracy of 100 per cent in the patients who underwent subsequent surgery. This method should be considered when FNAC is non-diagnostic and surgical treatment is being considered. It is particularly useful in patients with diffuse enlargement of the gland and does provide a core of material for accurate assessment of tissue architecture. In this series, nine patients avoided unnecessary surgery.

Incidental paranasal sinus inflammatory changes in a British population.

A retrospective study was carried out to determine the prevalence of abnormality in the paranasal sinuses in a British population having magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans for neurological signs and symptoms. The T2-weighted scans of 130 patients were studied. Abnormalities in the paranasal sinuses show as high signal on the T2-weighted scans and thus are clearly seen. Abnormalities included mucosal thickening, fluid levels, sinus opacification and retention cysts/polyps. Of the patients studied, 49.2 per cent showed one or more abnormality. Mucosal thickening was the most common abnormality noted and the ethmoid sinuses the most commonly affected.

Intracranial complications of sinusitis: the need for aggressive management.

Sinus-induced intracranial sepsis can represent a genuine medical and surgical emergency. We review 12 cases presenting to our hospitals over a five-year period. Nine were male and three were female with an age range of 16 to 74 years (mean 35.5 years). Four patients had their sinusitis diagnosed prior to admission and eight did not. Nine patients had bilateral sinus disease, the most common sinus involved was the frontal followed by the ethmoid, maxillary and sphenoid. Neurosurgical drainage was via a craniotomy in seven cases and burr hole in three. Nine patients underwent sinus surgery and three did not. Of the nine who had sinus surgery three had frontal drainage, four fronto-ethmoidal and two trans-sphenoidal drainage. The most common organism was Streptococcus milleri. Our series confirms that sinus-induced intracranial sepsis is a serious problem needing early diagnosis and aggressive treatment. We would recommend a high index of suspicion of sinusitis in patients with intracranial infection.

Soft tissue cervical metastases of squamous carcinoma of the head and neck.

Some 497 of 3085 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated between 1963 and 1990 had a later radical neck dissection at some time after initial treatment. The histological slides were all reviewed, firstly to confirm the presence of squamous cell carcinoma within the neck, and secondly to ascertain whether the metastasis was to soft tissue, to a lymph node or to both. The presence of extracapsular rupture in lymph node deposits was also assessed. Of the 497 patients, 138 had soft tissue deposits only, and 359 had nodal deposits only. Of the patients with nodal deposits 165 had extracapsular rupture and 194 did not. The 5-year survival of the 138 patients with soft tissue metastases was 27% compared with 33% for patients with extracapsular rupture and 50% for patients with no extracapsular rupture. Weighted logistic regression showed that soft tissue deposits were significantly more common in patients in poor general condition, plus poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma plus T4 tumours (P < 0.005), and in patients with poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma plus T4 tumours (P < 0.025). Cox's multivariate analysis with backward elimination showed that gender, histological differentiation, site of primary tumour and age of patient had no statistically significant effect on survival. The number of nodes (P < 0.0001), the presence of extracapsular rupture (P < 0.0001) and the presence of soft tissue free metastases (P < 0.001) were all highly significant. The N-status at recurrence also reached statistical significance (P < 0.0001).

Objective assessment of posterior choanae and subglottis.

The assessment of children with suspected stenosis of the posterior choanae and the subglottis can be arbitrary and subjective. A study was therefore undertaken to assess the normal size of both posterior choanae and subglottis in normal children and ascertain their relationship. The size of the posterior choanae in 72 children ranged from 3-9.3 mm (3-5.5 mm when less than one year old, and 6.1-9.3 mm when older than one year). The two sides were of equal size in 51 children (p < 0.001), in 16 children the right side was larger than the left (p < 0.01), and in 5 children the left was larger than the right side. The subglottic size in 52 children ranged between 4.2-9.3 mm (1.2-5.5 mm when less than one year old, and 6.1-9.3 mm, when older than one year). The size of the subglottis was of equal size or within 1.0 mm of the average size of the two posterior choanae in 41 children (p < 0.001), and of different sizes in 11 children. Accurate and objective assessment of either area can therefore be made by measuring and comparing the two sizes in the same child.

Does nasal septal deviation influence adult posterior choanal size?

Despite the development of modern imaging techniques, no study has been carried out to establish the normal size (particularly the area) of the adult posterior choanae. In this study we present our findings of the normal anatomical sizes of the adult posterior choanae and its relationship to septal deviation, by analysing MRI images of 70 patients. Coronal sections through the sphenoid rostrum and axial sections through the nasal septum were used. There were 32 males and 38 female patients. The age ranged between 18 and 73 years (mean 35.6). Our results show that the posterior choanal dimensions were as follows: right area: 1.35-6.1 cm2 (mean 2.7 cm2); left area: 1.4-5.9 cm2 (mean 2.7 cm2); right width: 0.9-2.1 cm (mean 1.5 cm); left width: 0.9-2.2 cm (mean 1.5 cm); right height: 2.5-4.0 cm (mean 2.6 cm); and left height: 1.5-4.0 cm (mean 2.5 cm). Chi-square analysis showed no statistically significant differences between left- and right-sided measurements. Twenty-three patients had a deviated septum towards the left side, 22 patients towards the right side, and 25 patients had no septal deviation. Chi-square analysis showed no statistical correlation between deviation of the nasal septum and any of the three dimensions of the posterior choanae studied.

A variation of first branchial cleft anomalies.

First branchial cleft anomalies are considered to be duplications of the external auditory meatus (EAM) and pinna with a sinus that runs parallel to the EAM (Type 1) or with a sinus that runs from an opening in the neck and ends blindly near the cartilaginous EAM (Type 2). In this paper we discuss a young patient that presented with an infected sinus that did not resemble either of the two known types of first branchial cleft anomalies.

Prophylactic antibiotics and post laryngectomy pharyngocutaneous fistulae.

Pharyngo-cutaneous fistula following laryngectomy is a serious complication. The incidence worldwide varies from 7.6 to 50 per cent. The value of prophylactic antibiotics in preventing fistulae is well recognized but the type of antibiotics and the length of administration of the antibiotics is variable depending on the individual surgeon. Below we present the Plymouth Head and Neck Unit experience where, in the last five years, 33 patients underwent laryngectomy (30 total, three vertical hemi-laryngectomies). The prophylactic antibiotics used in all patients was parenteral cefotaxime 1G or cefuroxime 750 mg, given at eight hours pre-operatively, with the premedication and at eight, 16 and 24 hours post-operatively. Only two patients developed pharyngo-cutaneous fistulae, both after total laryngectomy (six per cent of total). Three patients developed skin cellulitis and five patients developed chest infection which required further treatment with antibiotics.

Can post-tonsillectomy pain be reduced by topical bupivacaine? Double blind controlled trial.

A double blind controlled prospective trial investigated the analgesic effect of topical Bupivacaine in 15 adult patients undergoing bilateral tonsillectomy. Each patient had one tonsillar fossa exposed to Bupivacaine 0.5 per cent solution and the other to normal saline. When visited four to six hours post-operatively, 12 out of 15 patients (80 per cent) stated that the Bupivacaine exposed side to be more uncomfortable than the saline exposed side. On the first post-operative morning 9 out of 15 patients (60 per cent) confirmed the same. The remaining patients were unable to detect a significant difference and no patient found the Bupivacaine side to be more comfortable. These results suggest that topical Bupivacaine 0.5 per cent solution has no place in providing post-operative analgesia in adult tonsillectomy.

Idiopathic fibrosis of the upper aero-digestive tract.

Idiopathic fibrosis of different areas of the body such as retroperitoneal fibrosis, mediastinal fibrosis, sclerosing cholangitis, Reidel's thyroiditis and pseudo-tumour of the orbit are well recognised entities that manifest individually or in combination. A case of idiopathic fibrosis of the upper aerodigestive tract is presented, which caused dense fibrosis of the floor of mouth, tongue, pharynx and larynx leading to aphonia and severe dysphagia. A permanent tracheostomy was performed and regular bouginage is necessary. This is the first such case reported in the literature.

Obliteration of the middle ear cleft.

All patients who have undergone obliteration of the middle ear cleft at Plymouth are reviewed. All had chronically discharging mastoid cavities and middle ears resistant to medical treatment, and all had at least one major operation to eradicate disease. All had an average hearing loss on the affected side of more than 80 decibels prior to operation. All ears have remained dry since obliteration, with a blind pit in the meatus. There have been no complications apart from a collection of fluid under one muscle flap.

Intractable aspiration in a young child and its surgical management.

Intractable aspiration is a life-threatening condition. The problems encountered in a young child with severe intractable aspiration due to bilateral bulbar palsy following the surgical removal of a cerebellar astrocytoma are described. The various options of surgical treatment are discussed and Sasaki's technique of triple layer closure of the larynx using a superiorly based sternohyoid muscle flap is outlined in detail.

Comparison of cocaine and lignocaine as intranasal local anaesthetics.

The relative efficacy of Cocaine and Lignocaine as local anaesthetic agents in the nose were compared. Twenty-five patients undergoing bilateral intra-nasal antroscopy under local anaesthetic were used as their own controls when one nasal cavity was anaesthetised with Cocaine and the other with Lignocaine. On 56 per cent of occasions the patients experienced no difference in the level of discomfort. However, on 36 per cent of occasions Cocaine was noted to give better subjective anaesthesia as compared with 8 per cent of occasions when Lignocaine was superior.