We report two paediatric patients with massive head and neck plexiform neurofibromas who underwent surgical excision. We wish to highlight issues and implications pertaining to the surgery, in particular, the management of intraoperative bleeding often encountered in these cases.
Vocal cord palsy secondary to recurrent laryngeal nerve injury may be attributable to trauma, infiltrating neoplasm, congenital cardiac anomaly and others. Regardless the causes, majority of unilateral adductor palsy cases are usually managed by speech rehabilitation in order to allow compensation. In selected cases, medialization procedure may be required to achieve a complete glottal closure during phonation. Multiple techniques have been developed to achieve this goal. This case report illustrates the recent advancement in vocal fold medialization procedure, which has not been widely practiced in Malaysia.
A tick in the ear is a very painful condition and removal is difficult because it grips firmly to the external auditory canal or tympanic membrane. Facial paralysis is a rarely reported localised neurological complication of an intra-aural tick infestation. The pathophysiology of localised paralysis is discussed, together with the safe way of handling patients with an intra-aural tick infestation.
Massive goiter with retrosternal extension may impose additional risk such as difficult intubation, tracheomalacia, and possibility of different incision and approach including sternotomy. We would like to report a case of massive goiter encasing major neck structures and how it was managed.
Tonsillectomy in children is performed on a regular basis in ENT. The indications are chronic tonsillitis, sleep apnea to deeper structures. The natural history of tonsillar hyperplasia is regression when a child is six years beyond. In children with bilateral tonsillar hyperplasia we studied the use of laser as an alternative procedure to reduce the bulk of the tonsillar mass. Children with symptoms of bilateral tonsillar hyperplasia underwent laser tonsillotomy. The tonsils were dissected using carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. The tonsillar bed was left untouched. Intraoperative and postoperative conditions were noted.
Pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium following blunt chest trauma are rare. Diagnosis is by chest radiograph and CT Scan. They have to be identified and treated accordingly. Usually, pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium are self-limiting requiring no specific therapy. However, vigilance and a continuous monitoring of the vital signs are necessary.
To describe and determine the possibility of surgical trauma to the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve and to assess the role of intraoperative neuromonitoring in thyroid surgery.
Tongue surgery is almost always complicated by intraoperative bleeding. Its rich blood supply especially from the lingual vessels makes the operative field bloody. Electrocautery has been widely used to replace cold scissors in order to achieve better hemostasis. The use of ultrasonic harmonic scalpel for glossectomy is still new in this country. We report a case of partial glossectomy using the harmonic scalpel in a patient who had a squamous cell carcinoma of the lateral border of the tongue.
Schwannoma in the head and neck region is very rare. The tumour occurring in the intraparotid facial nerve is even rarer. A patient presenting with a parotid swelling with facial nerve paralysis is not pathognomonic of a facial nerve schwannoma. However it may occur because enlargement of the parotid, by any kind of tumour especially a malignant one can cause facial nerve paralysis. We report a case of an intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma, in a patient who presented with parotid enlargement and facial nerve paralysis.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and Lipoprotein(a) levels [Lp(a)] levels between diabetic and non-diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional Study.
PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: This study was conducted in the department of Physiology of College of Medicine & King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh between August 2006 and December 2007.
METHODS: One hundred and three individuals with CAD and 30 healthy individuals matched for age and BMI were studied. CAD patients were divided into two groups based on presence (n=62) and absence (n=41) of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Overnight fasting blood samples were collected, and analyzed for total cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), Low density Lipoprotein (LDL) and High density lipoprotein (HDL), Lp(a) and hsCRP. Data about CAD severity was obtained from medical records.
RESULTS: Both groups of CAD without and with DM had significantly higher levels of Lp(a) [mg/dl] (25.58 +/- 25.99, 25.90 +/- 24.67 respectively) and hsCRP [mg/dl] (0.52 +/- 0.71, 0.82 +/- 0.78 respectively) when compared with healthy control subjects (Lp(a) =16.93 +/- 15.34 & hsCRP=0.27 +/- 0.21) [p<0.05]. Lp(a) levels between the two CAD groups were non significant. While, hsCRP levels were significantly high in CAD with DM compared to those without DM [p<0.05]. Gensini Score of CAD severity was also higher in CAD with DM [67.60 +/- 45.94] than those without DM [52.05 +/- 42.27, p<0.05].
CONCLUSION: Elevated Lp(a) and hsCRP levels are associated specifically with angiographically defined CAD. However, hsCRP elevation but not Lp(a) is also associated with CAD in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Measurement of hsCRP and Lp(a) may be considered optional markers for better prediction of cardiovascular risk.
Various complications are associated with the use of indwelling voice prostheses. We present problems faced by a patient with his Voice-Master prosthesis, the ingestion of the prosthesis followed by a potentially fatal aspiration. The Voice-Master is unique in that in can be re-inserted. The safety strap is removed after primary insertion once the prosthesis is secure. However, during re-insertions this safety mechanism is no longer present. Therefore we recommend the placement of a temporary stitch or tie to minimize the risks of ingestion or aspiration of the prosthesis during re-insertions.
The objective of this prospective study was to report on the prevalence of hearing impairment in the neonatal unit population. From 15 February 2000 to 15 March 2000 and from 15 February 2001 to 15 May 2001, 401 neonates were screened using transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) followed by second-stage screening of those infants who failed the initial test. Eight (2 per cent) infants failed one ear and 23 (5.74 per cent) infants failed both ears, adding up to 7.74 per cent planned for second-stage screening. Five out of 22 infants who came for the follow up failed the screening, resulting in a prevalence of hearing impairment of 1 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.0-2.0). Craniofacial malformations, very low birth weight, ototoxic medication, stigmata/syndromes associated with hearing loss and hyperbilirubinaemia at the level of exchange tranfusion were identified to be independent significant risk factors for hearing impairment, while poor Apgar scores and mechanical ventilation of more than five days were not. In conclusion, hearing screening in high-risk neonates revealed a total of 1 per cent with hearing loss. The changes in the risk profile indicate improved perinatal handling in a neonatal population at risk for hearing disorders.
Osteosarcoma is a rare tumour in the sinonasal region. Early diagnosis is essential for adequate management and better prognosis and this requires a meticulous histopathological examination. Reported is a case of osteosarcoma misdiagnosed as chondrosarcoma and treated by surgery followed by radiotherapy. However, appropriate diagnosis and pre-operative chemotherapy would have been significant in the prognosis. The pitfall of accurate diagnosis and the subsequent treatment is discussed in order to find the ways to maximize five years survival which is not more than 25% in this type of lesions.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a cancer which is common in Asia. We report the establishment and early results of a multi-institutional prospective study of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which seeks to systematically collect data as well as blood and tumour tissue samples from patients diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer at six centres in Malaysia. A total of 484 confirmed NPC cases were reported from the six participating centres between 1st July 2007 and 29th February 2008. Of these, 225 were newly diagnosed cases, 53 were recurrent cases and 206 were in remission at the time of reporting. Amongst the newly diagnosed cases, the most common presenting symptom was the presence of neck lumps (42%). Ophthalmo-neurologic symptoms were the presenting symptoms of 11% of the new cases. The majority of cases (75%) presented at stage III/IV.