Impact of vertical dome division on nasal airflow.

OBJECTIVE: Vertical dome division is an effective maneuver in nasal tip surgery. Its applications include reduction of the tip projection, increasing tip rotation, narrowing of the domal arch, and correction of lobule asymmetry. Nevertheless, some surgeons avoid this technique, fearing tip deformity and possibly impaired nasal airflow. RESULTS: In this study, nasal airflow measurements were made before and after septorhinoplasty with vertical dome division. There was no significant change in the airflow before and after septorhinoplasty with vertical dome division. The airflow was negatively affected in 37.5% and improved postoperatively in 25% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite objective findings of diminished nasal airflow in some patients following vertical dome division, no subjective correlation was identified. Furthermore, during the postoperative testing, alar retraction on all of these patients failed to normalize airflow results, indicating that alar collapse was not contributing to the airflow impairment in those cases. All of the patients were found clinically asymptomatic after surgery.

Nasal nitric oxide is not altered by topical anesthesia.

This prospective study was undertaken to determine whether topical nasal anesthetic agents affect nasal nitric oxide (NO) output in healthy adults. Seven volunteers (aged: 29-56 (40.6 +/- 10.7) years, six male), were recruited. A topical anesthetic (4% lidocaine or 0.5% tetracaine) was sprayed into the subject's right nostril while the left nostril served as a control. Unilateral nasal NO and nasal volume were measured before administration of the anesthetic and at 15 and 30 minutes after the administration. The mean (+/- SD) unilateral nasal NO output was 307 +/- 45.9 nL/minute from the right nostril (exposure side) before the topical application of lidocaine. At 30 minutes after topical application (n = 6), it was 295.5 +/- 41.5 in the right nostril and 297.5 +/- 39.8 in the left (control side). In the tetracaine group (n = 7), the mean (+/- SD) unilateral nasal NO output was 302 +/- 53.3 before the administration and 307 +/- 39.7 at 30 minutes after the administration in the right nostril. The mean NO output in the left nostril at 30 minutes after the administration was 297.7 +/- 40.75. In neither group was there any significant difference in nasal NO output between either the pre- and postlocal anesthetic application on the exposure side (Group 1, P = 0.76; group 2, P = 0.41) or the two nostrils after topical anesthesia application (group 1, P = 0.83; group 2, P = 0.62). Topical anesthesia with either lidocaine or tetracaine does not alter nasal NO output. NO measurement should not be affected in circumstances that require topical anesthesia of the nasal cavity.

Aspiration flow optimized for nasal nitric oxide measurement.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate some of the factors which may influence the reliability of nasal NO measurements, and to optimize methods suitable for children and adults. Nasal nitric oxide (NO) output was determined by chemiluminescent analysis of aspirated samples in 16 adults and 6 children. With the velopharyngeal aperture closed, stable NO levels were obtained at flows ranging form 0.9 to 6.2 L/min. NO output averaged 401.0 +/- 145.4 nL/min./M2 in 6 children, 338.2 +/- 92.3 in 7 adult females and 268.6 +/- 70.2 in 9 adult males. Nasal NO output was independent of flow provided a stable plateau of NO value was reached. In this study, the optimal range of flows was 3.2-5.2 L/min. in adults and 2.2-3.2 L/min. in children. This enables selection of the most favorable flow to be chosen for individual subjects and situations.

An objective analysis of the impact of lateral rhinotomy and medial maxillectomy on nasal airway function.

OBJECTIVE: The lateral rhinotomy and medial maxillectomy procedure, while known to interrupt nasal valve supports, has not previously been reported to adversely affect nasal airway function. The purpose of this study was to utilize state-of-the-art techniques to objectively analyze the impact of this procedure on nasal airway function. DESIGN: The study design was retrospective and subject controlled. METHODS: The study population was derived from an academic, tertiary-referral, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery department with an estimated catchment population of 4 million people. Subjects included 21 consecutive, long-term postoperative patients who had undergone lateral rhinotomy and medial maxillectomy for inverted papilloma. Objective measures included vestibular cephalometric measurements, airflow rhinomanometry, and acoustic rhinometry. RESULTS: Statistically significant results reveal that although lateral rhinotomy and medial maxillectomy are associated with alar collapse, both overall nasal airflow and valve areas are increased. CONCLUSION: Lateral rhinotomy and medial maxillectomy does not adversely affect nasal airway function. This appears to be the result of concomitant resection of the functionally dominant inferior turbinate. This suggests that lateral rhinotomy performed in conjunction with operations not requiring inferior turbinectomy, such as anterior craniofacial resection, may adversely affect nasal airway function.

Three-dimensional CT reconstruction and volume measurements of the pharyngeal airway before and after maxillofacial surgery in obstructive sleep apnea.

We believe that maxillofacial surgery is a successful procedure for treatment of sleep apnea, provided the patients are fully assessed pre-operatively with nocturnal polysomnography and pharyngeal airway imaging. Long follow-up is also necessary to evaluate success.

Pre-operative localization of 25 consecutive parathyroid adenomas: a prospective imaging/surgical correlative study.

The successful diagnosis and surgical treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism due to parathyroid adenoma benefits significantly, in our experience, from a process of pre-operative imaging localization of the parathyroid adenoma. This prospective study evaluates a window of 25 consecutive patients who underwent pre-operative imaging localization prior to successful unilateral parathyroidectomy for parathyroid adenoma. All parathyroid adenomas were successfully localized by imaging, and subsequently documented photographically in surgical correlation, and pathologically confirmed. All patients were cured biochemically. Ultrasound accurately localized 92% of adenomas (100% in the neck and extrathyroidal) while radionuclide subtraction scanning identified 60% of a smaller subset. Both DSA and CT were successful in the two cases utilized, and MRI demonstrated four of five adenomas. The high yield of these pre-operative localization studies should make them an important consideration in the routine evaluation of patients undergoing surgery for possible parathyroid adenoma. Their usefulness in directing a conservative unilateral operation may result in time and cost savings, as well as reduced surgical exposure.

E-PTFE (Gore-Tex) suspension cervical facial rhytidectomy.

Restoration of a well-defined, youthful-looking, cervicomental angle is not easily achieved. The classic rhytidectomy is now often supplemented by lipectomy and platysmamodifying procedures. Still, irregularities of neck contour are bothersome, and for the short, stocky neck, results at times fall short of a patient's and surgeon's expectation. Insertion of an E-PTFE (expanded polytetrafluorethylene [E-PTFE]; tradename, Gore-Tex, W. L. Gore Associates Inc, Flagstaff, Ariz) soft-tissue patch as a sling to support the floor of the mouth and redefine the cervicomental angle for a smoother neck contour is described. This method was used in seven patients presenting with problematic aging neck. The first three patients needed readjustment of the E-PTFE membrane. This evolving method seems to offer a superior, more lasting result for the correction of an obtuse cervicomental angle.

Observations on the natural history of a parotid epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma of intercalated ducts.

A case report of a parotid epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) of intercalated ducts is presented. There were no changes in clinical characteristics or growth over a four-year period as documented by repeated clinical examination and serial ultrasounds. This neoplasm may be mistaken for an adenoid cystic carcinoma on fine needle aspiration and is believed to represent an adenocarcinoma of low malignant potential. The imperceptible growth of this epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma is in accord with a low malignant potential.

Nonpalpable occult and metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma.

The results of palpation, ultrasound, and detailed pathology were compared in 50 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy. Of the 211 nodules recognized by pathology, palpation detected 24% and ultrasound detected 43%. There were 14 patients with palpable papillary carcinomas, and 12 of these 14 had metastatic foci in other portions of the gland. Metastatic foci would have been left in 10 patients if only a lobectomy had been performed and would have been left in 6 patients if only a subtotal thyroidectomy (as defined in this report) had been performed. Of the 33 patients with benign palpable nodules, 5 had occult papillary carcinomas. In 2 of those 5 patients, the occult carcinomas would not have been removed if a less-than-total thyroidectomy had been performed. The significance of these occult and metastatic papillary carcinomas is discussed.

Schwannoma of the intrasternomastoid portion of the spinal accessory nerve: sophisticated pre-operative MRI diagnosis and appropriate surgical management.

In 1986, the authors reported the CT imaging findings which were specific for the diagnosis of schwannoma of the intrasternomastoid portion of the spinal accessory nerve. This successful imaging diagnosis led to appropriate surgical management with preservation of motor nerve function. In this manuscript, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was utilized to correctly diagnose the identical lesion, again with the same satisfactory surgical results. Both the CT and MRI findings are unique and specific, and the purpose of this short manuscript is to identify the MRI findings and link these to the previously recorded CT radiographic signs.

Parotid gland and parapharyngeal space imaging--the surgical significance.

Wise head and neck surgeons, for whom parotid gland surgery constitutes a substantial portion of their case load, make full use of the radiologist and cytologist in arriving at a rational pre-operative diagnosis. They utilize the skill of these allied consultants to qualify (by histology) and quantify (by staging) diffuse and mass lesions of the parotid gland (and subjacent parapharyngeal space) in order to evolve an effective surgical, radiation or other treatment plan. They understand the basic principles of diagnostic imaging and apply them to the clinical problem at hand. They minimize diagnostic and intra-operative "surprises", reduce intra-operative and post-operative complications and generally have a more "informed" patient and patient's family. The purpose of this manuscript is to discuss a contemporary role for diagnostic imaging in neoplastic (and other) diseases of the parotid gland and subjacent parapharyngeal space. Not all lesions of the parotid gland require imaging, although a pre-operative clinical photograph, including evidence of facial nerve function, is always welcome. Other lesions may need diagnostic imaging, from simple to complex and sophisticated, depending upon the problem. Properly used, effective and selective diagnostic imaging can improve the surgeon's confidence by providing a more realistic provisional diagnosis and a better pre-operative staging process and treatment plan, thereby avoiding the surgically unexpected and facilitating prognosis.

Decision making in thyroid and parathyroid surgery: the influence of imaging.

Surgical decision making is essentially based on experience, augmented by a management philosophy. In this manuscript we review concepts of thyroid and parathyroid surgical decision making in relation to diagnostic imaging input. These two endocrine glands have crucial anatomic associations, but very different pathologic conditions; it is the specific pathologic considerations that ultimately determine the decision-making process. For us, diagnostic imaging has enabled a more effective surgical decision-making process through thorough pre-operative planning. The strategy for parathyroid surgery is based upon the pathologic localization obtained by high resolution ultrasound. Thyroid surgical strategy is more heavily influenced by experience, and our policy is total thyroidectomy for all malignant and benign tumors with airway compression.

Parotid gland enlargement in HIV infection: clinical/imaging findings.

Parotid gland enlargement with or without facial paralysis may be the presenting clinical manifestation of AIDS. Submandibular involvement may occur as well. Failure to recognize this association may lead to inappropriate or unnecessary intervention in the investigation and treatment of the salivary gland enlargement. In this paper, we discuss the role of imaging techniques in the investigation of salivary gland enlargement, and identify the specific radiologic signs found in HIV infection. Demonstration of intraparotid or submandibular gland cysts with focal intraparotid mass lesion(s) on imaging may help to differentiate parotid gland enlargement due to HIV infection from the many other causes of parotid enlargement.

Safety of total thyroidectomy: review of 100 consecutive cases.

During a 6-year period (June 1982 to June 1988), 100 consecutive total thyroidectomies were performed at Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, for benign and malignant disease. There were five permanent complications: one deliberate sacrifice of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and four cases of persistent hypoparathyroidism. Four of these five complications occurred in extracapsular carcinoma and resulted from oncologic wide-field resection and/or deliberate sacrifice. One patient with benign disease suffered initially transient hypoparathyroidism which has now become permanent. Interestingly, two patients actually underwent deliberate sacrifice of a recurrent laryngeal nerve; one patient has made a surprising recovery at 16 months postoperative and now has full vocal cord mobility. Our experience suggests that the morbidity of total thyroidectomy relates primarily to the stage of malignancy and extracapsular extension, necessitating en bloc excision accompanied by additional lymph node dissection. The low incidence of permanent complications in benign thyroid disease suggests the feasibility of total thyroidectomy as the operation of choice when surgeons are familiar with the technique and indications.

Multiple bilateral synchronous Warthin's tumors: a case report and review of the literature.

Warthin's tumor is a relatively uncommon and biologically fascinating neoplasm of salivary glands. Bilateral simultaneous parotid Warthin's tumors have been reported previously, as have multiple unilateral tumors. However, an extensive search of the English and non-English medical literature revealed only two previous reports of multiple bilateral Warthin's tumor presenting simultaneously. We report a third case, and review the unique embryological origin and biological characteristics of this entity.

Radionuclide bone scan in frontal sinus osteoma.

Frontal sinus osteomas, whether cortical or cancellous by morphologic radiologic appearance, appear to represent metaplasia rather than neoplasia occurring at the frontal-ethmoid suture line. These osteomas are not infrequently found completely or partially within the frontal sinus or adjacent ethmoid complex. Regardless of specific anatomic site, they occur at the embryologic junction of enchondral and membranous frontal bone. Those osteomas which produce mechanical complications (ostial obstruction or facial deformity or proptosis) give clear indication for surgical intervention. A much larger group of osteomas, however, is detected on routine plan radiographic examinations carried out for other reasons. Unfortunately, the singular conventional radiographic finding of an osteoma has, in the past, frequently been the sole and primary indication for surgical intervention. The purpose of the present paper was to review the experience with 10 frontal sinus osteomas managed expectantly over the past 11 years. All were imaged serially with morphologic studies, including conventional X-rays and computerized tomography scans. A radionuclide bone scan was carried out in all patients at the time of initial presentation. Those identified as producing mechanical complications clinically, or a 'hot' bone scan by radionuclide study, were regarded as appropriate for osteoplastic frontal sinusectomy for removal of the osteoma; three cases were approached in this way. On the other hand, utilizing this physiologic imaging parameter, a 'cold' bone scan indicated the presence of a relatively insert osteoma, in terms of biologic growth activity. Thus, adopting a non-operative approach, and following these patients over the 4-11 year period appears to have been validated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The parathyroid adenoma: an imaging/surgical perspective.

The clinical picture of hyperparathyroidism has changed since the implementation of routine serum calcium testing, resulting in more asymptomatic patients undergoing early surgical exploration. Although operative complications (e.g., recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, hypocalcemia, etc.) are not prevalent, the risk can be minimized by minimizing tissue dissection. For this reason, we feel that preoperative tumor localization is of great importance. We report our imaging results of parathyroid adenomas, utilizing ultrasonography, technetium-thallium subtraction scanning, digital subtraction angiography and magnetic resonance imaging. We also present an imaging protocol which, we have found, maximizes preoperative identification of these tumors.

Lipoma and liposarcoma of the parotid gland: high-resolution preoperative imaging diagnosis.

Over the past 7 years, nine fatty tumors within the parotid gland have been managed (eight lipomas, one liposarcoma). High-resolution computed tomography examination was carried out in all cases; with correct preoperative diagnosis recorded each time. The computed tomography imaging characteristics of lipoma, liposarcoma, and the differential diagnosis from other fat density lesions, such as a fatty infiltration, appear quite specific. The liposarcoma and six of the lipomas were resected at formal parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation. Two patients with small intraglandular lipomas have elected to undergo long-term clinical and imaging observation. Our experience indicates that high-resolution, soft-tissue imaging with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging permits consistent preoperative fatty tumor diagnosis. This imaging input facilitates rational treatment decision-making.

Schwannoma of the intrasternomastoid portion of the spinal accessory nerve: sophisticated preoperative CT diagnosis and appropriate surgical management.

Neurogenic tumors of the cervical portion of the cranial nerves are rare, and hence frequently misdiagnosed and mismanaged. A unique case of an isolated schwannoma of the spinal accessory nerve was correctly diagnosed by the constellation of signs demonstrated on a CT examination. This led to appropriate surgical removal with full motor nerve preservation. The primary purpose of this manuscript is to demonstrate the qualitative and quantitative radiologic signs indicative of the diagnosis and the surgical management resulting therefrom. The second more subtle purpose is to demonstrate the sophisticated clinical implications which can result from effective high-technology imaging.