Multifocal adult rhabdomyoma of the head and neck: case report and systematic review of the literature.

Adult-type rhabdomyoma (ARM) is the most frequent extracardiac subtype of rhabdomyoma. In very rare instances ARM presents as multiple cervical lesions, an entity known as multifocal ARM. The aim of this study was to review the clinical characteristics and the best therapeutic options for multifocal ARM. The case of a 73-year-old patient recently diagnosed with multifocal ARM and managed in our institution is reported, followed by a systematic review of the literature. The review was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases, according to the PRISMA guidelines. All case reports and case series related to multifocal ARM written in English or French were included. A total of 29 cases were included in the qualitative analysis. Mean age at presentation was 65.0 years and the male to female ratio was 13.5:1. Dysphagia was the most common presenting symptom. ARM was most frequently found in the submandibular spaces. In conclusion, multifocal ARM are benign tumours with a predilection for the head and neck region. They become symptomatic with gradual compression of the adjacent structures. No cases of malignant transformation were reported in the literature. We suggest a 'watchful wait' approach for small asymptomatic tumours and excision of large symptomatic ones.

Barriers to research among residents in Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery around the world.

OBJECTIVES: To document the challenges faced by residents in Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OTL-HNS) around the world to successfully complete research projects. The second objective is to assess if the challenges are uniform worldwide. METHODS: A survey was sent to all OTL-HNS under 45 years old from the 2017 IFOS meeting. This survey was conducted by the YO-IFOS group (Young Otolaryngologists of the International Federation of Otolaryngological Societies). Data was collected for a period of 1 month. Demographic characteristics, information regarding research projects conducted and data concerning perceived barriers to completion of research projects were collected. RESULTS: Among the 2787 attendees, 928 responded to the survey (response rate=33.3%). Of these 928 answers, 267 responses were from residents/interns in OTL-HNS, while 635 responses were from certified otolaryngologists. The three most frequent obstacles to conducting research projects for trainees were limited dedicated time (64%), insufficient financial resources (55%) and lack of education in research (45%). There was no statistical difference in these barriers among the different countries (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first international study that provides insight on trainee's challenges to conduct research projects during residency. Despite the notion that research is essential for generating new knowledge to guide patient care, many residents fail to successfully incorporate research in their surgical curriculum. These obstacles must be addressed by Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery programs in order to facilitate and support resident's research.

Human papillomavirus prevalence and clinicopathological associations in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in the Lebanese population.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate for the first time the prevalence of human papillomavirus in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in a Middle-Eastern population, and to determine associations between human papillomavirus profiles and clinicopathological characteristics. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients treated for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma at the Hotel Dieu de France University Hospital (Beirut, Lebanon) between January 2010 and 2016. Existing formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumour samples were analysed. Human papillomavirus DNA viral load and p16 expression were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry respectively. RESULTS: Thirty patients (mean age of 60 years) were included. Twenty-seven per cent of patients were p16-positive/human papillomavirus DNA positive, 53 per cent were p16-negative/human papillomavirus DNA negative and 20 per cent were p16-positive/human papillomavirus DNA negative. Human papillomavirus 16 was the most frequent subtype (75 per cent). Smoking and alcohol consumption were significantly lower in the human papillomavirus positive group compared to the human papillomavirus negative group (p = 0.049 and 0.004, respectively). CONCLUSION: Human papillomavirus rate was lower than reported rates in Western populations. Possible explanations include differences in social and cultural behaviours.