A Case of Bony Defect of the Anterior External Auditory Canal Wall Causing Ear Fullness / 대한이비인후과학회지

A congenital defect of the anterior wall of the external auditory canal (EAC) is known as foramen of Huschke. The tympanic bone is incompletely developed and has a U shape at birth. The foramen of Huschke closes via continuous bone growth, which occurs before the age of 5 years. A persistent foramen of Huschke is an anatomic variation located in the anteroinferior portion of EAC, which can cause ear discomfort with spontaneous temporomandibular joint (TMJ) herniation into the EAC bony defect. We present a case of 50-year-old man who had a symptomatic TMJ herniation through an osseous defect. The physical examination showed a bulging mass of anterioinferior portion of EAC when the patient closed his mouth, which was retracted when the mouth openned. We report a case of surgical reconstruction of the EAC wall defect, and the foramen of Huschke with titanium mesh via preauricular approach along with literature’s review.

A Case of Oncocytic Lipoadenoma Arising in the Submandibular Gland / 대한두경부종양학회지

Oncocytic lipoadenoma is a rare salivary gland tumor composed of adipose tissue and oncocytic epithelial cells in varied proportions. We report a case of an oncocytic lipoadenoma of the submandibular gland, which presented as a submandibular gland mass. The patient was a 65-year-old woman with a right submandibular mass measuring 2 × 2 × 1.6 cm. As a sonographic evaluation and computed tomograph scan gave us the impression of benign submandibular gland tumor such as pleomorphic adenoma, we resected the right side submandibular gland. Grossly, the tumor was well circumscribed with yellow to brown cut surface. Microscopically, the tumor was surrounded by a thin, fibrous capsule and composed of oncocytic epithelial cells admixed with mature adipose tissue. Final diagnosis was an oncocytic lipoadenoma. We discussed here radiologic and pathologic finding of this rare salivary gland tumor.

Assessment of Volatile Sulfur Compounds in Adult and Pediatric Chronic Tonsillitis Patients Receiving Tonsillectomy

OBJECTIVES.: To study the volatile sulfur compound (VSC) concentration profile in chronic tonsillitis patients before and after tonsillectomy, and to evaluate the difference between adult and pediatric (children and adolescents) patients. METHODS.: Thirty adult patients (older than 20 years old) and 30 pediatric patients (younger than 20 years old) who were assigned to get tonsillectomy due to chronic tonsillitis were enrolled in this prospective nonrandomized clinical study. The concentrations of the three main VSCs related to halitosis (hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulfide) were assessed in each patient using a portable chromatograph (Oral ChromaTM) at 1 day before operation, postoperative 1 day, 1 week, and 2 weeks. RESULTS.: Average concentration of hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulfide preoperatively were 99.5 ppb, 24.6 ppb, and 9.45 ppb in adult patients, and 97.4 ppb, 26 ppb, and 10.5 ppb in pediatric patients, respectively. The concentrations of the three VSCs in both groups were highest in first day after surgery, and decreased signigicantly after 2 weeks compared to preoperative values (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference of the concentration of the three VSCs between adult and pediatric patients in any time point. CONCLUSION.: The concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulfide decreased significantly after tonsillectomy in chronic tonsillitis patients. The concentrations of the three VSCs were not significantly different between pediatric and adult patients before and after tonsillectomy.