An unusual case of acute periorbital swelling.

Periorbital swelling is frequently encountered in ear, nose, and throat practices and, as it may be secondary to acute sinusitis, delayed diagnosis may lead to significant morbidity. We describe the case of a 24-year-old man with acute ethmoid-maxillary sinusitis and ipsilateral facial swelling particularly involving the periorbital area. We also discuss the workup that led to the formulation of an unusual diagnosis.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy in musculoskeletal disorders: a review.

Regenerative therapy is one of the most challenging and intriguing branches of modern medicine. Basic research has demonstrated the effectiveness of extracorporeal shockwaves (ESWT) in stimulating biological activities that involve intra-cell and cell-matrix interactions. These interactions are at the basis of the current clinical applications, and open the horizons to new applications in tissue regeneration.

Transoral robotic surgery in the management of head and neck tumours.

The article reviews the use of robotic technology for head and neck tumours. The authors discuss the development of transoral robotic surgery (TORS), the current status of the technology, and the set-up in the operating room. The article provides a review of the literature, highlighting the applications, advantages, functional outcomes, and disadvantages of TORS for each anatomic subsite (oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, parapharyngeal space, and skull base).

The effects on bone cells of metal ions released from orthopaedic implants. A review.

The increasing use of orthopedic implants and, in particular, of hip and knee joint replacements for young and active patients, has stimulated interest and concern regarding the chronic, long-term effects of the materials used. This review focuses on the current knowledge of the adverse biologic reactions to metal particles released from orthopaedic implants in vivo and in vitro. More specifically, the purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the current literature about the adverse effects of metal particles on bone cells and peri-implant bone.

Carbon dioxide-enriched water inhalation in patients with allergic rhinitis and its relationship with nasal fluid cytokine/chemokine release.

Background And Aims: Allergic rhinitis is characterized by eosinophil infiltration and accumulation in the nasal mucosa mainly due to IL-3, IL-5, and eotaxin activities. We undertook this study to investigate a possible in vivo effect of carbon dioxide-enriched water inhalation in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Methods: Twenty five consecutive patients inhaled carbon dioxide-enriched water at Fonti di Rabbi Spa Centre (Trento, Italy).

Cochlear implantation in adolescents with prelinguistic deafness.

Objective: The aims of this study were to examine auditory function in a group of adolescents with prelingual deafness who received cochlear implants (CI) and to identify poor-outcome predictors in order to define reliable prognostic indicators useful in selecting patients for CI.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Setting: The study was conducted in the Audiology Unit of Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.

An unusual cause of a parotid mass in an immunocompetent host: classic Kaposi's sarcoma.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a virally driven vascular tumor that usually has a multifocal origin, with multiple vascular nodules in the skin and other organs, particularly the gastrointestinal tract. Four variants of KS have been described: HIV-related, African, iatrogenic and classic. Primary classic KS of the head and neck is rare in any case, but KS arising in intraparotid lymph nodes, especially with no cutaneous involvement, is exceptionally rare.

Videosialoendoscopic assessment of bilateral atresia of the Wharton's duct orifice in an infant.

Atresia of the submandibular ducts (particularly the duct orifice) is a rare occurrence that is mainly observed in newborns or infants; moreover, its differential diagnosis with other anomalies of the oral floor is sometimes difficult. Given the lack of data concerning the differences between atresia of the orifice of Wharton's duct and other anomalies of the submandibular duct system, we describe here the findings of videosialoendoscopic assessment of the salivary duct system in an infant who underwent traditional surgery for bilateral atresia of the orifice of Wharton's duct. During sialoendoscopy, a trifurcation of the main duct, a normal variant of the more common bifurcation of the secondary branches of the salivary duct system, was observed bilaterally.

Vertical platysma myocutaneous flap reconstruction for T2-staged oral carcinoma.

The surgical resection of tumour-affected oral soft tissue structures often leads to tissue defects. Various techniques can be used for reconstruction. Our experience of using a vertical platysma myocutaneous flap in a group of patients who underwent reconstruction after T2-staged oral cancer surgical resection associated with neck dissection is described.

Glottic tuberculosis masquerading as early multifocal carcinoma.

The incidence of tuberculosis has progressively decreased in developed countries after the advent of antituberculous chemotherapy, but has recently been increasing again mainly due to migratory flows. Although common in the past and considered to be a prelethal event, laryngeal involvement has become a rarity. We report the case of a 52-year-old female smoker who complained of persistent aphonia.

Bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaws: a therapeutic dilemma.

Objective: To describe our experience in prevention and treatment of mandibular and maxillary osteonecrosis, an emerging complication of long-term intravenous administration of bisphosphonates.

Study Design: Between February 2004 and February 2006, 10 patients who had received zoledronic acid intravenously because of multiple bone myelomas or bone metastases were treated for mandibular and maxillary osteonecrosis in the Departments of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery of our institution.

Results: All of the patients underwent surgical sequestrectomies.

Cricoid chondrosarcoma coexisting with a thyroid mass: case report and review of the literature.

Laryngeal chondrosarcomas are rare cartilaginous tumors that usually present with hoarseness, dyspnea and, occasionally, dysphagia and dysphonia. We report the case of a low-grade chondrosarcoma of the cricoid cartilage coexisting with a right thyroid nodule, which presented with homolateral vocal fold paralysis. After a precautionary tracheotomy the patient underwent a laryngofissure in which the mass arising from the posterior plate of the cricoid cartilage was entirely enucleated.

An unusual cause of mechanical dysphagia: an agglomerate of calculi in a tonsillar residue.

We report the case of a 68-year-old man affected by severe oropharyngeal dysphagia for solid food, who had undergone tonsillectomy when he was 22 years old. Videolaryngoscopy revealed a smooth-surfaced, elongated overgrowth on the left lateral pharyngeal wall that protruded toward the left pyriform fossa and impeded the transit of solid boli. A computed tomography scan showed that the solid content of the lesion was markedly inhomogeneous and denser than the surrounding soft tissues.

The fate of an amputated nose after replantation.

Traumatic amputation of the nose is a challenging management problem. We describe the case of a 69-year-old woman who had a dog-bite nasal amputation. The avulsed piece, including the lobule, and approximately half of the columella and alae, was replanted within 2 hours of the trauma.

Prognostic value of Delphian lymph node in T1b glottic carcinoma.

Background: The published papers concerning Delphian lymph node (DN) involvement in laryngeal tumours generally consider advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. We investigated the role of DN in a selected group of patients with T1b glottic squamous cell carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: The study involved 53 patients with T1b glottic squamous cell carcinoma who underwent horizontal glottectomy.