Rhinocerebral mucormycosis in a 5-month heart transplant recipient

Mucormycosis is an opportunistic acute fungal infection with a high mortality rate seen in immunocompromised patients. It is extremely rare in heart transplant recipients. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis (RM) is the most frequently observed presentation. We report a case of RM in a heart transplant recipient 5-month after the procedure, with a fatal outcome

"The Accessory Ethmoidal Canal Does Not Necessarily Contain an Arterial Structure"

Introduction: The aim of our study is to describe the prevalence of the accessory ethmoidal artery in endonasal endoscopic cadaver dissections and to identify its intraorbital origin. Material and Methods: From 2018 to 2020, thirty-four nasal dissections were performed in seventeen adult cadaveric heads. We performed a complete ethmoidectomy to identify the ethmoidal canals. Then, we removed the bony canal and the lamina papiracea to verify the injected vessel and to confirm the vascular structure inside the canal. Results: We found the anterior ethmoidal canal (AEC) and the posterior ethmoidal canal (PEC) in 100% of nasal cavities (34/34). We identified 4 accessory ethmoidal canals (AcEC) in the 34 nasal fossae dissected (12%). All AEC contained an arterial vessel. The AcEC contained an arterial vascular structure in 2 cases, a neural structure in other specimen, and in the fourth case no structure could be verified. In 32 of 34 nasal cavities, the PEC contained an artery and only in 2 cases the PEC did not contain any vascular structure. In these specimens, we observed that the AcEC with an arterial vessel inside (6%) was closer to the posterior canal than the anterior canal. Conclusion: According to our findings, we can suggest that the presence of a canal does not necessarily imply the presence of an arterial vessel, and that presence of the accessory ethmoidal artery could be associated with the absence of posterior ethmoidal artery

Estudio comparativo de los sistemas de estadiaje en el carcinoma de cabeza y cuello

Consultable des del TDXTítol obtingut de la portada digitalitzadaEl objetivo de la tesis es analizar la agrupación por estadios TNM propuesta por la 5ª edición de la UICC-AJCC, y compararla con seis agrupaciones alternativas propuestas por diferentes autores, considerando como elementos de estudio tanto la supervivencia observada, como la supervivencia ajustada, como la supervivencia libre de enfermedad. Se evaluó el sistema de clasificación que ofrecía de forma objetiva un mayor rendimiento considerando el total de pacientes y cada una de las principales localizaciones de cabeza y cuello. La comparación de las diferentes clasificaciones estudiadas se realizó a través del análisis de tres criterios estadísticos: Homogeneidad intraestadio, heterogeneidad interestadio y balance o distribución del número de pacientes en cada estadio. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo en el que se recogieron los datos de forma prospectiva e introducidos posteriormente en la base de datos de nuestro servicio de ORL. En el periodo comprendido entre enero de 1984 y enero de 2004 se analizaron un total de 2504 pacientes con carcinoma de cabeza y cuello (laringe, cavidad oral, orofaringe e hipofaringe).El sistema desarrollado por Hall obtuvo los mejores valores en el cómputo global al analizar la población total y por tanto ha de considerarse un excelente sistema de clasificación. El sistema TNM(UICC-AJCC) demostró a su vez ser un buen sistema en el análisis de la población total consiguiendo excelentes resultados en cavidad oral y glotis, valores intermedios en supraglotis, ocupando las últimas posiciones en orofaringe e hipofaringe. En estas últimas localizaciones sería recomendable tener en cuenta las clasificaciones alternativas. Si se consideran las recomendaciones del sistema desarrollado por Hart en orofaringe donde los pacientes clasificados como T1N0 y T2N0 se agrupan dentro del mismo estadio inical,se mejora notablemente la capacidad pronóstica,por lo que esta agrupación se debe recomendar en futuras ediciones del TNM. La inclusión de subestadios según publicado en la 5º edición ha conseguido mejorar globalmente el sistema TNM sin subestadios.The aim of this study was to analyse UICC/AJCC 5th edition stage grouping and compare it with six other TNM-based groupings proposed by different authors using observed survival, specific survival and disease-free survival. We evaluated the different systems performance by staging the whole population and each localization in head and neck cancer separately. We defined three statistic criteria to assess each stage-grouping scheme: Homogeneity, heterogeneity and the distribution of patients among the groups. The data used in this study were obtained retrospectively from a database that prospectively collects information. We analyzed 2504 patients with head and neck cancer (larynx, oral cavity, oropharynx and hypopharynx) treated in our center from 1984 to 2004. The scheme proposed by Hall got the best values in global score in the total population and it may be considered an excellent stage grouping scheme The UICC/AJCC stage grouping demonstrated good results in the analysis of total population showing excellent values in oral cavity and glotis, intermediate values in supraglotis and poor results in oropharynx and hipopharynx. In these localizations we recommend alternative staging schemes. If we consider the Hart's recommendations in oropharynx, by which T1N0 and T2N0 patients are included in the same inicial stage, prognostic index is considerably improved, therefore making this regrouping a change to be considered in the future TNM editions. The inclusion of sub-stages in the fifth edition achieved better prognostic results than the previous TNM staging scheme without sub-stages

Lacrimal duct Surgery : Different Techniques and Long-Term Postoperative Results

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABPre-saccal obstructions of the lacrimal duct can be solved with a conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy while saccal or post-saccal obstructions are restored with an external, endoscopic or laser dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). The aim of the present study is to review the indications for each technique and to compare the results achieved. Retrospective review of 335 patients in whom 440 surgeries of the lacrimal duct were performed, with at least 4 months of follow-up. Outcomes in terms of symptoms and endoscopic findings during follow-up were considered. Successful results understood as resolution of symptoms were observed in 85% of cases treated with endoscopic DCR and in 62% of cases after laser DCR (p < 0.001). Among patients with recurrence of epiphora after surgery, 32% showed a visible ostium during endoscopy. Sixty-eight conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomies were performed, 68% of which required a tube replacement due to obstruction or extrusion. The mean duration of the tubes replaced was 10 months (range 3 days - 95 months). Endoscopic DCR shows better success rates than laser DCR. A considerable percentage of failures after DCR surgery present a visible ostium on endoscopic examination. This fact should lead to reconsider the initial diagnosis, ruling out functional problems or canalicular obstructions