Large irritation fibroma of hard palate: a case report of a rare clinical entity.

Fibromas are benign tumors of connective tissue common in the oral cavity but rare on hard palate. This paper reports on an asymptomatic, slowly growing mass on the hard palate of a 90-year-old lady, with a reported use of denture for two decades. The patient presented with a 2.2cm, smooth-surfaced, well-circumscribed nodule attached with a stalk to the palatal mucosa. After excision, the histopathological examination revealed a mass of fibrous connective tissue, covered by stratified squamous epithelium with focal low-medium grade hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis. These findings were consistent with irritation fibroma of hard palate, a rare entity, which should be considered as a possible diagnosis for tumors of the area by every physician.

Pleomorphic adenoma of hard palate: a case report.

Pleomorphic adenoma is a benign mixed tumor, which is composed of myoepithelial and epithelial cells. A fibrous capsule separates these cells from the surrounding tissues. Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common salivary gland tumour accounting for 40-70% of all major and minor salivary gland tumours. It is also the commonest minor salivary gland benign tumours accounting for 70% of all tumours. Hard palate is the commonest site followed by upper lip, buccal mucosa, tongue, floor of mouth, retromolar trigone. This case report discusses a case of pleomorphic adenoma of hard palate in an old man after complete excision of the tumour, which was confirmed by a biopsy specimen.

Maxillary Sinus Myxofibrosarcoma Mimicking Nodular Fasciitis: A Rare Case Report.

Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a fibroblastic soft tissue sarcoma that is extremely rare in the maxillofacial region. Due to its non-specific clinicoradiographic findings and challenging histopathological features, the diagnosis is difficult. Here, we present a case of MFS which was first diagnosed as nodular fasciitis. The initial examination of the incisional biopsy showed a benign-appearing proliferation of fibroblasts without features of malignancy. The patient returned with recurrence four months after surgical excision of the primary lesion. The second histologic study revealed a high-grade spindle cell sarcoma with myxoid features most compatible with MFS. Definitive diagnosis of MFS was confirmed by these histopathologic features and supportive immunohistochemical stains. Unfortunately, the patient died of disease 3 months later.

Delayed Infection of Porous Polyethylene Implants After Oncologic Maxillectomy and Reconstruction: 2 Case Reports and Review of Literature.

Medpor porous polyethylene implants are commonly used for facial skeletal reconstruction due to reported biocompatibility, fibrovascularization, and durability. While uncommon, late implant infections are an important consideration. We report delayed infections in 2 patients after unilateral total oncologic maxillectomy and reconstruction using Medpor implants for an ossifying fibroma and squamous cell carcinoma, respectively. In the first patient, annual interval computed tomography (CT) scans showed no recurrence of tumor or inflammatory changes. The second was lost to follow-up after adjuvant chemoradiation 1 year after resection. Patients both presented with swelling, drainage, and erythema around the implant at a mean of 4.5 years following maxillectomy. Both failed several attempts at conservative treatment. Cultures of implants removed at a mean of 2.5 months after infection grew α-hemolytic Streptococcus in the first and multiple organisms in the second, showing that the potential for delayed infection should be considered years after reconstruction.

Functional and survival outcomes in elderly patients undergoing transoral robotic surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if elderly patients (≥70 years) have differences in functional and survival outcomes compared to non-elderly patients (<70 years) following transoral robotic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients undergoing robotic surgery for head and neck cancer at a tertiary institution from 2011 to 2016. Functional status was evaluated with diet, enteric feeding status, Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), tracheostomy tube placement, and unplanned readmission. Kaplan Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model were used to assess overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between elderly and non-elderly patients. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-six patients met inclusion criteria. The mean age of the cohort was 63.5 ± 9.74 years. There were 64 patients (26.0%) that were ≥70 years. Elderly patients were more likely to be discharged with enteric access (p < 0.002). As early as 3 months, there was no significant difference in need for enteric feeds, diet, or FOIS score. There was no difference in tracheostomy tube rates and unplanned readmission between both cohorts. There was no significant difference in OS and DFS between age groups when stratified by p16 status. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients are more likely to require perioperative enteric feeding, but 3-month, 1-year, and 2-year functional outcomes are comparable to younger patients. Survival outcomes are similar in both populations.

Development of sentinel lymph node biopsy technique in patients with salivary gland cancer using the IDEAL framework.

BACKGROUND: Salivary cancer is rare and comprises a variety of histological subtypes and clinical behaviors. There is no agreed method of estimating the risk of occult metastasis or managing the clinically N0 neck.Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) may offer a solution but previous studies have not produced a reliable imaging protocol. This study uses novel technology and trial methodology to develop a reliable SNB technique, with primary aim to identify peri-and intraglandular sentinel nodes. METHODS: IDEAL framework was used to undertake SNB in clinically node negative salivary gland cancer. Patients with cT1-2 N0 salivary cancer were eligible. Lymphoscintigraphy was undertaken using Tc-99 m labelled nanocoll. Injection technique as well as adjunctive use of freehand SPECT (fhSPECT), near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging, and navigation-guided surgery were used and optimisied during the study protocol. RESULTS: 10 patients were recruited. Initial protocol of peritumoural injection of Tc99 m nanocoll showed poor image resolution. Subsequent adjustment to single intratumoural injection allowed identification of intraglandular sentinel nodes. Fh/SPECT and NIR fluorescence imaging found intraglandular lymph nodes otherwise not recognizable to the naked eye. In two cases occult lymph node metastasis were identified. CONCLUSION: This study has shown the IDEAL framework is vital in allowing iterative changes in surgical protocol in the light of experience. This study has produced a reliable method for detection of sentinel nodes, in particular the ability to identify intra- and periglandular nodes with diagnosis of occult metastatic deposits and no false negative results. Our protocol can be readily transferred in to larger scale studies.

Pleomorphic adenoma of the hard palate with calcifications: an unusual presentation / Adenoma pleomórfico del paladar duro con calcificaciones: una presentación inusual

Pleomorphic Adenoma (PA) is the most common benign salivary gland tumor. The most common sites for minor salivary gland from which PA arises are the palate followed by the lips and buccal mucosa. Calcifications are a common finding in major salivary glands with chronic inflammatory disorders. Major salivary gland tumors rarely show calcifications and it is less common to find them in minor salivary gland tumors. We report a case of pleomorphic adenoma of the hard palate in a 67-year-old female patient with intra-tumoral, irregular and scattered calcifications visible on computed tomography (CT). The treatment was complete surgical excision of the lesion. The diagnosis was confirmed with the histopathological study.

El adenoma pleomórfico (AP) es el tumor benigno de las glándulas salivales más común. Los sitios de mayor frecuencia donde surge el AP en glándulas salivales menores es el paladar seguido de los labios y la mucosa bucal. Las calcificaciones son un hallazgo común en las glándulas salivales mayores con trastornos inflamatorios crónicos, pero en el caso de tumores rara vez muestran calcificaciones y es menos común encontrarlos en tumores de las glándulas salivales menores. Presentamos un caso de adenoma pleomórfico del paladar duro en una paciente de 67 años con calcificaciones intratumorales, irregulares y dispersas visibles en la tomografía computarizada. El tratamiento fue la extirpación quirúrgica completa de la lesión. El diagnóstico se confirmó con el estudio histopatológico

Oncological outcome following initiation of treatment for stage III and IV HPV negative oropharyngeal cancers with transoral robotic surgery (TORS).

OBJECTIVE: To report long-term oncological and functional outcome of Transoral Robotic Surgery escalated treatment including radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for Stage III-IV HPV negative oropharyngeal malignancies. METHOD: From March 2013 to September 2015, 153 patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma were included in the study. Patients were evaluated for disease free survival, overall survival and post-treatment functional outcomes. RESULTS: 153 patients (96 males and 57 females) underwent TORS for oropharyngeal carcinoma. 142 patients on final histopathology had stage III and IV disease and received adjuvant treatment based on final histopathology. One hundred and sixteen (81.7%) patients were disease free on average follow-up of 48 months with an overall survival of 91.5% at mean follow-up of 48 months. CONCLUSION: TORS can be used to intensify treatment of Stage III/IV oropharyngeal carcinoma and avoid early and late toxicities due to higher doses of upfront RT/CTRT and achieve better oncological outcome.

Endoscopic-assisted maxillectomy: Operative technique and control of surgical margins.

BACKGROUND: When amenable to radical excision, cancer involving the maxilla is typically treated with maxillectomy followed by adjuvant therapy. Posterior tumor extension beyond the maxillary box leads to the invasion of complex areas, where achieving clear margins may be challenging. METHODS: Patients undergoing endoscopic-assisted maxillectomy for nasoethmoidal, maxillary, or hard palate cancer between 2007 and 2017 were included in the study. Surgical technique, margin status, and recurrences were analyzed. Extension of posterior resection was classified in 3 types (type 1: resection of the pterygopalatine fossa; type 2: resection of the pterygoid plates and related muscles; type 3: resection of the upper parapharyngeal space). The analysis of putative risk factors for involvement of margins and local recurrence was performed with special focus on the posterior and medial margin. RESULTS: The study included 79 patients (75 with available follow-up; mean: 20.6 months, range: 6-101 months), 37 (46.8%) of whom underwent type 1 resection, 34 (43.0%) type 2, and 8 (10.1%) type 3. According to pT category, 57 (72.2%) tumors were classified as T4a/T4b. Posterior and medial clear margins were achieved in 76/79 (96.2%) and 75/79 (94.9%) patients, respectively. T4b category, extension to the ethmoid, sphenoid sinus, pterygoid process, orbital cavity, and premaxillary tissues were significantly associated with a higher rate of margin involvement. None of the factors was significantly associated with medial margin involvement. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic-assisted maxillectomy combines several refinements including the facilitated detachment of the maxilla from the skull base and precise delineation of the posterior and medial margins of resection.

[Carcinoma cuniculatum: An unusual oral tumor]. / Carcinome cuniculatum : une tumeur orale inhabituelle.

We report on a case of carcinoma cuniculatum (CC) of the maxillary gingival mucosa. A 60-year-old woman presented with an exophytic gingivo-palatal mass with slow growth and osteolytic evolution. A first performed biopsy was negative for malignancy. The diagnosis of CC was established on the surgical representative biopsy. CC is a rare low-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma that is usually found in the foot or in oral cavity. The pathognomonic microscopic feature of CC is an endo- and/or exophytic lesion composed by a well differentiated squamous epithelium infiltrating into underlying stroma forming a complex pattern of keratin cores and keratin filled "rabbit warren" crypts. CC is a locally evolutive carcinoma with a usually good prognosis usually without lymph node or distant metastatic evolution.

A Novel Use of Buccal Fat Pad Flap for Immediate Reconstruction of Palatal Tumor Resection Defect.

Integrity of the palatal mucosa may be disrupted due to various pathological and congenital factors. In maxillofacial defects, the buccal fat pad has been used frequently to repair the palatal region and close oro-nasal communications. In this case report, the use of buccal fat pad for the closure of a surgical palatal defect is presented with a 3-year follow-up. A 75-year-old female patient visited our clinic with a complaint of a non-adaptive maxillary denture. During clinical and radiographic examination, a well-demarcated mass on the palatal mucosa extending to the soft palate of the left side was observed. Subsequent to resection of the tumor, a defect occurred on the palatal region extending toward the soft palate. The pedicled buccal fat pad was chosen for closure of the defect. The patient was followed-up at 3, 7, 14, and 30 days after surgery. Epithelization and healing of the surgical wound were uneventful. At the 3-year follow-up, functional closure of the left palatal region was observed with no recurrence. Buccal fat pad is an easily manipulated flap with predictable results for the reconstruction of medium-sized defects of the oral and maxillofacial region with minimal postoperative discomfort for the patient.

Um raro diagnóstico de osteoma periférico em palato duro: relato de caso / A rare diagnosis of peripheral osteoma in the hard palate: case report

Objetivo: relatar uma biópsia excisional de um osteoma periférico no palato duro direito de uma paciente jovem, do sexo feminino e não sindrômica. Relato de caso: paciente do sexo feminino, 32 anos de idade, melanoderma e normossitêmico, buscou atendimento no ambulatório de diagnóstico estomatológico da Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia com queixa quanto ao surgimento de lesão na região de palato. Após avaliação clínica e imaginológica, foi decidido realizar biópsia excisional sob anestesia local da lesão. Foram levantadas três hipóteses de diagnóstico: osteoma periférico, exostose ou osteossarcoma. O material coletado foi enviado para análise histopatológica, que confirmou a hipótese de osteoma periférico. Considerações finais: os osteomas periféricos na região de palato duro são raríssimos. Essa lesão geralmente é assintomática ­ exceto quando há impacto traumático durante a mastigação ­, de crescimento lento, podendo se desenvolver em osso cortical ou medular. O tratamento de escolha é a remoção cirúrgica e o índice de recorrência é raro. O caso enfatiza a condição rara, pois foram encontrados apenas seis casos semelhantes relacionados na literatura. (AU)

Objective: To report an excisional biopsy of a peripheral osteoma in the right hard palate in a non-syndromic young female patient. Case Report: A 32-year-old female patient, black, and normosystemic sought assistance in the stomatological diagnosis outpatient clinic of the School of Dentistry of the Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil, complaining about the appearance of a lesion in the palate region. After clinical and imaging assessment, it was decided to perform an excisional biopsy under local anesthesia of the lesion. Three diagnostic hypotheses were raised - peripheral osteoma, exostosis, or osteosarcoma. The material collected was sent for histopathological analysis, which confirmed the hypothesis of peripheral osteoma. Final considerations: Peripheral osteomas in the hard palate region are very rare. This lesion is usually asymptomatic, except when there is a slow-growing chewing impact during mastication, which may develop in cortical or spinal bone. Surgical removal is the treatment of choice and the rate of recurrence is rare. The case emphasizes the rare condition, considering only six similar cases were found in the literature. (AU)

Buccal Myomucosal Flap Reconstruction After Resection of Palatal Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma.

Salivary gland tumors are rare, constituting approximately 0.5% of pediatric malignancies, yet account for over 50% of malignant salivary gland neoplasms, of which a majority are mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs). We present a case of MEC involving the palatal minor salivary gland of an adolescent patient successfully reconstructed using buccal myomucosal flap. The subject presented as a 17-year-old male with a painless left hard palatal mass found to have imaging suspicious for minor salivary gland tumor and punch biopsy consistent with a low-grade MEC. The subject underwent wide local excision of a 1.0 × 1.2 cm mass with 1.0 cm margins down to hard palate nasal mucosa excluding the abutting first and second molars of the ipsilateral maxilla. Pathology confirmed low-grade MEC confined to hard palate. Two weeks, thereafter, the subject underwent buccal myomucosal flap reconstruction inset into the palatal defect and divided 2 weeks thereafter. Postoperative course was complicated by a pinpoint oronasal fistula at the posterior aspect of the flap-palate junction requiring reelevation and advancement. The subject subsequently recovered without complication. Mucoepidermoid carcinomas represent rare, malignant minor salivary gland tumors with nonspecific presentations that require multidisciplinary workup and management. The authors recommend reconstruction of resultant palatal defects to prevent progression to oronasal fistulae or speech and swallow impairment.

Sialadenoma papilliferum of the hard palate: A rare case report.

Sialadenoma papilliferum (SP) is a rare benign salivary gland tumor with unclear cell origin. This report presents a new case of SP of the hard palate occurring in a 50-year-old female. The lesion was completely excised, and the microscopic features were consistent with SP. The knowledge of this rare entity contributes to proper diagnosis and prevents unnecessary radical surgery and treatment.

Techniques and outcomes in microsurgical soft palate reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION: The soft palate is a multilayered intrinsically mobile structure, with a critical role in maintaining the airway, swallowing, and speech. We describe our technique of microsurgical reconstruction and analyze patient reported outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using the University of Washington head and neck disease specific Quality of Life (UWQOL) questionnaire and the Hirose Standard speech analysis tool. Swallowing function and diet were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty cases were reviewed; nine were available for post hoc analysis. Anterolateral thigh flaps were used in 19 cases, in combination with vastus lateralis muscle in 5 cases. Speech intelligibility was graded "excellent" in 8 of 9 cases and moderate in 1 of 9. All tolerated an oral diet. Mean UWQOL score was 424.4/600 (SD ± 141.9) for physical and 461.7/600 (SD ± 141.9) for emotional-social domains. CONCLUSION: Reconstruction of the soft palate using velopharyngeal narrowing with free anterolateral thigh flap delivers good functional outcomes.

Symmetrical palatal fibromatosis: Five new cases and a review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: To present five cases of symmetrical palatal fibromatosis (SPF), a lesion reported very rarely in the English language literature, under more than a dozen different names, and to recommend the most appropriate name. METHODS: Five SPF cases are characterized with a literature review. RESULTS: Three females and two males, aged 20-39 years, presented with bilateral, symmetrical, asymptomatic, sessile, moderately firm, or soft (n = 2) masses of the lateral posterior hard palate; two were isolated to the tuberosities. All masses were normal in color, with smooth, non-ulcerated surfaces and occasional surface nodularity. Underlying bone was radiographically normal, and adjacent teeth were asymptomatic. All masses originated from supra-periosteal tissues over palatal bone, only secondarily extending to gingivae and/or crestal tuberosity. Cases were present between 4 months and 15 years, with no familial or environmental etiologies identified. Histopathologically, masses were comprised of dense, avascular fibrous tissue with scattered thick bands of collagen. Surface epithelium showed occasional long, thin, sometimes pointed rete processes, and subepithelial stroma contained scattered large, angular fibroblasts. Conservative surgical excision appeared curative in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The present investigators propose SPF as the most accurate name for this rare entity.