Retronasal testing of olfactory function: an investigation and comparison in seven countries.

Flavor perception is to a large extent determined by olfaction, and persons who lost their sense of smell consequently complain about strongly reduced enjoyment of food. The retronasal olfactory function is especially important for flavor appreciation. The aim of this study was to compare retronasal function across different cultures and to develop a test that is applicable across cultures.

Transcaruncular electrocoagulation of anterior ethmoidal artery for the treatment of severe epistaxis.

Objective: The irrigation of the upper third of the nasal fossa is supplied by the anterior ethmoidal artery. We describe a surgical technique to deal with epistaxis due to anterior ethmoidal artery bleeding.

Patients And Methods: From January 2006 to March 2010 transcaruncular coagulation of the anterior ethmoidal artery was done on nine patients with epistaxis of the upper third of the nasal fossa.

Oncologic and functional results of near-total laryngectomy.

Objective: To report the oncologic and functional outcome of patients undergoing near-total laryngectomy.

Study Design And Setting: A retrospective analysis was carried out from 1991 through 1998.

Results: Eighty-seven patients underwent near-total laryngectomy.

Functional neck dissection for the clinically negative neck: effectiveness and controversies.

This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of functional neck dissection in controlling metastasis to the clinically negative (cN0) neck, focusing on recurrences in the pathologically negative (pN0) neck and the role of extracapsular spread in the cN0 neck. A series of 172 patients (253 dissected fields) treated for cN0 laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer with a 5-year minimum follow-up is presented. Occult metastasis was observed in 30% of the patients.

Surgical management of recurrent parathyroid cyst.

Parathyroid cysts are rare lesions of uncertain embryological origin, usually presenting as a painless mass in the lower part of the neck. Clinical presentation usually mimics a thyroid nodule, and fine needle aspiration with demonstration of high parathyroid hormone levels in fluid is often required to establish the diagnosis. In addition to difficulty in diagnosis, the best treatment for these uncommon lesions remains controversial.