Global wealth disparities drive adherence to COVID-safe pathways in head and neck cancer surgery

Peer reviewe

Arteriovenous malformation of auricula: Case report

Arteriovenous malformation is the existence of a directcommunication between an artery and vein without capillaryconnections. Although arteriovenous malformations(AVMs) are frequent in head and neck region, it is rare inear, especially in auricula. A thirty three year old femalepatient presented with hemorrhagic mass in her auricula.Radiological and histopatological examinations revealedan AVM that was limited to auricula. The mass is excisedand reconstructed with a local pediculated flap. This casewas presented together with a literature review

Is it necessary to remove submandibular glands in squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity?

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and the mechanism of submandibular gland (SMG) involvement in oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas (OCSCC), and to discuss the necessity of extirpation of the gland. The authors investigated and analyzed the retrospective charts of 236 patients who underwent surgery for OCSCC over a 10-year period and the pathology reports of 294 neck dissections with SMG removal. SMG involvement was evident in 13 cases (4%). Eight cases were due to direct invasion, which was the most common mechanism. Four cases had infiltration from a metastatic periglandular lymphadenopathy, and in 1 case, metastatic disease was confirmed. The tongue and floor of the mouth were the most frequent primary sites associated with SMG involvement. The study found no bilateral cases, and in 135 SMG specimens benign pathologies were detected. Involvement of the SMG in OCSCC is not frequent. It is appropriate to preserve the gland unless the primary tumour or metastatic regional lymphadenopathy is adherent to the gland

Parapharyngeal space tumours: the efficiency of a transcervical approach without mandibulotomy through review of 44 cases.

The aim of this study was to describe our experience with benign parapharyngeal space tumours resected via a transcervical route without mandibulotomy and to investigate associated postoperative sequelae and complications. The study investigated and analysed the retrospective charts of 44 patients who underwent surgery for benign parapharyngeal space tumours over a 10-year period. The diagnosis was reached in all patients with clinical and radiologic findings; preoperative fine-needle aspiration biopsy was not performed in any case. The preferred means of accessing the parapharyngeal space in all patients was a transcervical route. In 5 of these patients, transparotid extension was performed due to the position of the tumour. Tumours were classified radiologically as poststyloid in 27 cases and prestyloid in 17 cases. The final histopathologic diagnosis was vagal paraganglioma in 16 cases, pleomorphic adenoma in 13 cases, schwannoma in 10 cases and comparatively rarer tumours in the remaining 5 cases. In three patients, cranial nerve paralysis was observed during preoperative evaluation. Permanent cranial nerve paralysis occurred in 19 cases (43.2%) in the postoperative period, the majority of which were neurogenic tumours such as vagal paraganglioma (n = 16) and schwannoma (n = 2), and one case of non-neurogenic parapharyngeal tumour. The median duration of follow-up was 61 +/- 33 months. There was no local recurrence in any patient during the follow-up period. A transcervical approach should be the first choice for excision of parapharyngeal space tumours, except for recurrent or malignant tumours, considering its advantages of providing direct access to the neoplasm, adequate control of neurovascular structures from the neck and optimal aesthetic outcomes due to preservation of mandibular continuity with minimal morbidity and hospitalisation time