Intraoperative flow cytometry for head and neck lesions. Assessment of malignancy and tumour-free resection margins.

Head and neck cancer poses a significant health problem worldwide. We set out to investigate the value of rapid intraoperative cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry for the intraoperative characterization of head and neck lesions and surgical margins. Seventy patients with head and neck lesions suspicious of malignancy were included in the study. There were 31 neoplastic and 39 benign lesions. Flow cytometry permitted the intraoperative detection of neoplastic lesions within 6 min with high sensitivity and specificity based on cell cycle fractions. In the cases in which surgical margins were assessed, intraoperative flow cytometry had complete concordance with pathology. Intreoperative flow cytometry is a novel promising technique for rapid intraoperative characterization of malignancy and tumour free resection margins in head and neck lesions.

Cervical isometric exercises improve dysphagia and cervical spine malalignment following stroke with hemiparesis: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hemiparesis following stroke can cause cervical spine scoliosis, kyphosis or hyperlordosis. These abnormal cervical alignments can contribute to dysphagia. The benefit of cervical isometric exercises to improve swallowing has not been previously studied. AIM: To evaluate the use of cervical isometric exercises in dysphagic adult patients with cervical spine alignment disorders due to hemiparesis after stroke. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. SETTING: University Hospital, PMR Department. POPULATION: Dysphagic adult patients with hemiparesis after stroke in the rehabilitation phase. METHODS: In addition to the standard physical and speech therapy therapeutic approach for 12 weeks, cervical isometric exercises were conducted by a group of patients (experimental group). Patients had cervical spine radiographs in erect (sitting or standing) position coronal and sagittal C2-C7 Cobb angle and a videofluoroscopic swallowing study to evaluate deglutition (0=normal, 1=penetration, 2=aspiration) at 2 time points (at the beginning and at the end of the therapeutic program). RESULTS: Seventy consecutive patients with hemiparesis of a mean (SD) age of 52±15 years were included in the study and were randomized in 2 groups. Thirty-seven of them (experimental group) conducted cervical isometric exercises in addition to their therapeutic program. At the last follow-up, patients had improved (P<0.001) cervical alignment, in both coronal and sagittal plane, and deglutition. Patients who conducted cervical isometric exercises (experimental group) had more pronounced correction (P<0.001) of cervical alignment in both planes and achieved greater improvement (P<0.05) of deglutition too, than patients who did not conduct such exercises (control group). CONCLUSIONS: Dysphagic adult patients with hemiparesis after stroke in the rehabilitation phase who underwent cervical isometric strengthening exercises showed more significant correction of cervical alignment and more pronounced improvement in deglutition compared to patients who did not include cervical isometric exercises in their therapeutic program. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: The additional use of cervical isometric exercises in hemiparetic stroke patients with dysphagic symptoms lead to more pronounced improvement of their swallowing function compared to such patients who are subjected to speech therapy only. Furthermore, these exercises are shown to be beneficial for cervical spine alignment too.

Cutaneous melanoma with tonsillar metastasis.

Metastases to the tonsillar fossa due to hematogenous dissemination is an extremely rare phenomenon associated with advanced-stage disease and poor prognosis. In the present report we describe a case of cutaneous melanoma with a metastasis to the tonsil approximately 4 years after the initial diagnosis of the primary disease treated with palliative radiation therapy.