Publications by authors named "Lara Valentina Comini"

The number of solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) is growing as a consequence of an increase in transplantations and longer survival; these patients, thus, frequently suffer various comorbidities and are subjected to the detrimental effects of immunosuppressive agents, which expose them to a higher risk of developing malignancies. These drugs also complicate the surgical treatment of neoplasms, as they can hinder wound healing, especially when associated with other unfavorable factors (e.g.

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Purpose: Head and neck sarcomas (HNS) constitute a rare and heterogeneous cancer entity. Management remains a challenge due their rarity and different biological behaviour among tens of subtypes. This systematic review aimed to describe HNS global frequency and distribution in adulthood.

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Tongue abscesses are rare conditions that usually follow mucosal disruption due to mechanical trauma or foreign body impaction. They typically manifest abruptly as a rapidly growing, hard mass or swelling in the context of tongue muscles; the patient frequently complains of pain, difficulties in swallowing or speaking, and fever. Nonetheless, the features of its presentation, together with accurate clinical evaluation, blood tests, and appropriate imaging tests, are usually sufficient to easily discern a tongue abscess from a malignancy.

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Background And Purpose: Parotid gland lymphoma (PGL) is a rare and challenging diagnosis. Different lymphomas can develop in the parotid gland, with the most common being the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, which originates directly from the glandular parenchyma. Other histologic subtypes arise from both intraglandular and extraglandular parotid lymph nodes.

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Introduction: The aim of this study is to perform a systematic review to compare the outcomes of the different surgical options for mandibular reconstruction in head and neck cancer.

Material And Methods: 93 articles were selected. Four groups were identified: titanium plate without flaps, titanium plate covered by soft tissue flap, bone tissue flaps and double flaps.

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Radiotherapy (RT) and transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) represent the main treatment modalities for early glottic carcinoma. Local failure is notoriously more frequent in T1b glottic cancer in comparison to T1a and T2 tumors. In this scenario, the role of anterior commissure (AC) involvement is still controversial.

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Purpose: All kinds of ear, nose, and throat and maxillofacial surgery (ENT/MFS) procedures are being increasingly performed in the elderly although old age is a major risk factor for increased postoperative complications. With only scarce evidence on the topic, surgeons are asked to critically evaluate their procedures' indications and outcomes to balance the treatment risks and benefits. Our primary aim was to identify predictive factors for surgical outcomes in this setting and to create a predictive model for a tailored risk assessment.

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The simultaneous use of two different free flaps, harvested from distinct donor sites, has demonstrated a reasonable degree of safety and success rates in head and neck composite defects reconstruction. Unfortunately, their relatively low frequent use, together with the lack of proper statistics on their management strategies, make their indications weak of robust conclusions to better define their role in common practice. The aim of the present study was to review the literature of the last 15 years regarding simultaneous free flap transposition, presenting advantages, disadvantages, and results of this technique, with the final purpose to propose an up-to-date panorama for the use of double free flap for complex head and neck defects reconstruction.

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Cerebrospinal fistula might occur in different ways. CSF closure techniques have undergone significant evolution that has led to the consolidation of the transnasal endoscopic approach. Despite the existence of multiple publications, meaningful information is still lacking in clinical practice and the literature about the ideal method, material, and timing for repair of CSF.

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Background: The subclavicular pedicled flap is based on the thoracic branch of the supraclavicular artery, and it represents a versatile reconstructive option for low-middle third face defects. Since its use in head and neck surgical oncology has not been popularized yet, we propose its application for oral cavity reconstruction after cancer resection by showing favorable results.

Methods: Eighteen subclavicular pedicled flaps were used to treat intraoral defects after oral squamous-cell cancer resection between June 2015 and December 2018.

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Background: The application of specific devices to seal the tracheal stoma in laryngectomized patients is critical for optimal pulmonary and phonatory rehabilitation. Indeed, an excessive stomal depth is one of the main causes of rehabilitation failure. In this context, division of the sternal heads of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) is a common technique, usually performed during the laryngectomy.

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Purpose Of Review: To summarize recent findings regarding surgical management of oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) through analysis of different intraoperative techniques for assessment of margins, evaluate the pros and cons of each, and ensuing prognostic impact.

Recent Findings: 'En bloc' OSCC resection and histopathologic evaluation of margins on the formalin-fixed specimen remain the 'gold standard' for oral oncologic surgery, whereas assessment of intraoperative surgical margins and its overall clinical value are still questioned and debated in the literature. The commonly applied evaluation of frozen sections still raises concerns regarding its efficacy and reproducibility; therefore, several ancillary diagnostic methods have entered the field of head and neck oncology in the last decades, aiming to support the surgeon in achieving tumor-free margins during ablative procedures.

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Objective: The buccal fat pad (BFP) has been progressively introduced into clinical practice for oral defect reconstruction. This study describes our experience with this technique and compares indications in the literature and outcomes.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 24 patients presenting oral surgical defects and treated between January 2012 and January 2015 at our institution.

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Purpose: Local flaps are currently considered the main reconstructive option for medium-size oral and peri-oral defects; however, their indications are sometimes challenging to select. The aim of this study was to critically analyse their selection and to propose a therapeutic algorithm.

Materials And Methods: We performed a search on PubMed regarding the medium-size oral and peri-oral defects reconstruction, and we collected data on the aetiology, the location of the defect, the type of flap used and postoperative complications.

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