A physically independent and mentally competent 61-year-old gentleman was diagnosed with left upper alveolar spindle cell carcinoma. He underwent left infrastructure maxillectomy with reconstruction and had bismuth iodoform paraffin paste packed in the post-operative cavities. The patient subsequently exhibited labile emotions and acute delirium. Further investigation showed that his urine iodine level was highly elevated. He eventually made a full recovery and returned home.
Tuberculosis is a highly contagious granulomatous disease which is endemic in South East Asia. Most common presentation is pulmonary tuberculosis which is spread by droplets inhalation of mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium. Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is a rare entity which poses a diagnostic difficulty as its presentation is greatly similar to that of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Herein, we describe two cases of nasopharyngeal tuberculosis which mimics nasopharyngeal malignancy leading to diagnostic difficulties.
Zygomatic root abscess is a rare extracranial extratemporal complication of otitis media. To the best of our knowledge, there are only a few scattered cases of zygomatic root abscesses reported in the literature. We present an unusual case of a zygomatic root abscess in a 24 years old adult. He presented with one month duration of right zygomatic swelling. Otoscopic examination revealed superior and posterior external auditory canal wall sagging with an intact tympanic membrane. High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) temporal bone revealed a rim enhancing lesion lateral to the zygomatic process with fluid filled mastoid air cells. He was managed with antibiotics and staged surgical interventions. He recovered well. Our case serves to shed light on the pathways of infection, clinical manifestations and timely staged surgical intervention in this rare pathology.
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) has been regarded as the rarest form of thyroid malignancy, which entails around 2% of thyroid malignancies. It traditionally presents with rapidly enlarging anterior neck swelling with obstructive symptoms. Due to its rich blood supply and lymphatic drainage, the thyroid gland is resistant to infection. Parallel to that, the presentation of thyroid abscess frequently points towards an underlying upper respiratory tract infection. We present a case involving an elderly female presenting with a thyroid abscess, which later turned out to be ATC following a histopathological diagnosis of the thyroid gland. The initial cytology workout was negative for malignancy. We highlight the relatively uncommon presentation along with its management.