Intraoperative measurement of parathyroid hormone in minimally invasive surgery for parathyroid adenoma.

Introduction: In the past bilateral neck exploration was the gold standard for successful surgical management of primary hyperparathyroidism. More restricted procedures have been introduced recently thanks to imaging techniques and intraoperative parathyroid hormone assay confirming eradication of hyperfunctioning tissue.

Methods: Thirty patients operated for parathyroid adenoma were submitted to intraoperative PTH determination with Quick Pack immunochemiluminescent assay (Nichols lab.

Do multiple consecutive head and neck reconstructions improve the patients functional outcome?

Background: The purpose of this study was to determined the functional outcome of surgically treated head and neck cancer patients who required more than "standard" microsurgical reconstruction.

Methods: Data concerning all patients with head and neck cancers, who underwent free-tissue transfers in our institution between January 1, 1994 and August 31, 1999 were reviewed. The cases of tumor recurrences and those with micro-surgical complications were excluded.

Bilateral chylothorax after left radical neck dissection.

Bilateral chylothorax, as a complication of neck dissection, is very rare as evidenced by the 11 cases reported in the literature up to date. We present an additional case of bilateral chylothorax following a left radical neck dissection and concomitant chylous neck fistula. This case was successfully treated by chest drainage and total parenteral nutrition.

Tracheoesophageal fistula: case report and review of literature.

The case of a 44 year old woman with progressive postoperative dysphagia and food inhalations complicated by recurrent pulmonary infections, due to a tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is reported. Some months earlier, this woman had been operated for a cerebral aneurysm with hemiplegia and aphasia. For several months, pulmonary and feeding difficulties had been attributed to neurological status.

An unusual case of squamous cell carcinoma of the nose.

A 49-year-old man presented with a tumoral lesion of the tip of the nose which had been manifest for 2 months. Within a few weeks, the tumour increased in size and became infiltrated. The biopsy showed a squamous cell carcinoma.