Desmoid tumor [fibromatosis] of the head and neck

Desmoid tumors [fibromatosis] are rare benign tumors, they arise from musculoaponeurotic structures throughout the body. They are locally infiltrative, resulting in a high rate of local recurrence following surgical resection. Due to the rarity of these tumors in the head and neck region, we report a case of a patient with a desmoid tumor in the upper neck that was diagnosed and treated in our institution, to increase the awareness of the Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgeons, and report available treatment options of this condition

Colon cancer metastasis to the thyroid gland

Thyroid metastasis originating from colon cancer is an uncommon clinical entity. We present a case of a 40-year-old Saudi male patient that was known to have metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon, and who presented initially with hoarseness of voice. A left thyroid lesion was found and fine-needle aspiration biopsy showed that it was a colon cancer metastasis. His condition later deteriorated with development of stridor. Tracheostomy was performed and the diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy. A high index of suspicion is required to consider colorectal carcinoma metastatic to the thyroid

Paraspinal tuberculosis mimicking malignancy

Tuberculosis [TB] of the paraspinal muscles is a rare clinical entity. We present a case of an 18-year-old, Saudi male patient presenting with the clinical picture of a paraspinal mass that turned out to be paraspinal TB. It originated from the paraspinal tissues and muscles, and invaded the C6 and C7 vertebrae. Initially, it was highly suspicious for malignancy. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of TB, and the patient was treated successfully with anti-TB therapy. It is important to be aware that paraspinal TB can mimic malignancy

Multiple myeloma presenting as dysphagia

Plasmacytoma is a discrete solitary mass of neoplastic monoclonal plasma cells in either bone marrow or soft tissue sites. Extramedullary plasmacytoma or multiple myeloma of the larynx is extremely a rare condition. We report a 77-year-old male patient diagnosed with multiple myeloma and presented with dysphagia. The rarity of the disease incidence and difficulty of the diagnosis of this disease is discussed. We present this case to increase the awareness of the Otolaryngologists of this rare disease to expedite its diagnosis and management

Road map of an ear, nose, and throat clinic during the 2008 Hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

To present our experience in the development of our own local electronic Makkah Ear, Nose, and Throat [ENT] - Hajj Database, and provide a road map for the ENT Clinic during Hajj. This prospective cohort study was conducted between November 28 and December 10, 2008 [1429 Hijri Hajj season]. All patients presenting to the ENT Clinic at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were recorded. A total of 1047 patients were included. The mean age was 26 +/- 6.4 years. There were 663 males [63.3%], and 384 females [36.7%]. Among them, 361 patients [34.5%] were Hajjis, and 686 patients [65.5%] were non-Hajji. The total number of Saudi patients were 716 [68.4%], and non-Saudi's were 331 [31.6%]. A total of 78.5% of the patients presented during the 12 hours shift [12 PM-12 AM]. Upper respiratory tract infections [URTI] including the diagnosis of pharyngitis, viral URTI, and tonsillitis represented 85.2% of the total diagnosis. Twenty-four patients were admitted, with admission conversion rate of 2.3%, and average admission rate is 2 patients per day. Admission in relation to URTI represented 46% of the total admitting diagnosis. In treating these patients, 992 patients [94.7%] received antibiotics as part of, or their main therapy. The ENT Hajj Clinic was a success in improving patient's care, and to help alleviate pressure from the Emergency Department

Retropharyngeal hematoma

Retropharyngeal hematomas [RPH] are relatively rare. They are clinically important because of the close proximity to the upper airway, which can be life threatening and requires immediate intervention. We report one patient who presented with RPH due to anticoagulation that resulted in airway obstruction and subsequent intubations. We outline the normal anatomy of the retropharyngeal space, the pathogenesis and treatment of RPH, with related literature review