Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the nose and paranasal sinuses.

BACKGROUND: Renal cell carcinoma represents 3% of all malignant tumors. Metastatic deposits of renal cell carcinoma to the head and neck region are infrequent. The objective of this work is to analyze the clinical presentation, radiologic features, surgical and radiotherapy treatment, and outcome of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the nose and sinuses. METHODS: Retrospective review of 6 patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma who had nasal metastasis develop and were seen at the Christie Hospital in Manchester over the past 8 years. RESULTS: Six patients with renal cell carcinoma were seen with recurrent epistaxis, nasal obstruction, and unpleasant nasal crusting. Three patients had orbital involvement. Examination under general anaesthesia and biopsy was performed in all 6 cases. Histologic studies confirmed metastases of renal cell carcinoma in all 6 patients. All patients underwent local external beam radiotherapy. The most common dose used was 35 Gy in 8 daily fractions. All patients had symptomatic control of local nasal disease with a minimum follow-up of 2 years in 4 patients. Two patients died within 6 months of the radiotherapy treatment as a result of their primary tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the nose and paranasal sinuses is rare but has unpleasant symptoms. Local symptomatic control with radiotherapy is excellent.

Imaging of temporal bone brain hernias: atypical appearances on magnetic resonance imaging.

Brain tissue with or without its dural covering may protrude into the temporal bone through a defect in the tegmen tympani. Infection or granulation tissue, with or without cholesteatoma may make diagnosis difficult. While computed tomography (CT) may demonstrate a bony defect, it is difficult to distinguish between herniated brain, cholesteatoma or granulation tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) clearly demonstrates healthy herniated brain tissue, but ischaemic or necrotic elements may mimic other lesions. We present a series of five patients with brain hernia, highlighting the spectrum of preoperative radiological appearances, and some of the difficulties encountered in interpreting these images. MRI demonstrated herniation of healthy brain in two patients but in three, showed irregular soft tissue with signal characteristics consistent with cholesteatoma. Surgery in these three patients demonstrated necrotic brain with coexisting cholesteatoma in two. Brain hernias are often necrotic and may have morphological and signal characteristics similar to cholesteatoma with which they may coexist.

Bones of contention. The supply of temporal bones for dissection: the legalities, problems and solutions.

Temporal bone dissection is considered to be an important aspect of the otological training of the Specialist Registrar with dissection skills being formally assessed in the Intercollegiate Fellowship Examination. However the procurement of cadaveric specimens suitable for dissection may be fraught with difficulties. The authors take an historical perspective to clarify the existing legal issues and outline the means available to improve supply.

A comparison of surgery and radiotherapy in the management of post-cricoid carcinoma.

One hundred and forty-three patients with post-cricoid squamous cell carcinoma are described. Twenty-nine patients (20%) underwent pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy with gastric transposition. Forty-four patients (31%) were treated with radical radiotherapy and 70 (49%) had palliative therapy. Kaplan Meier 5-year survival following surgery was 45% and radiotherapy was 23%. The presence of nodal disease at presentation was the most significant prognostic factor. The 5-year survival of patients undergoing surgery with no palpable lymph node spread at presentation was 63% which compared with 25% following radiotherapy. This difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0153, Logrank test stratified by nodal status). Patients with palpable metastatic nodal spread at presentation had 5-year survivals of 10% and 0% in the surgical and radiotherapy groups respectively. This study demonstrates that patients with post-cricoid carcinoma who present without palpable lymph node spread have a significant improved 5-year survival following surgery when compared with radiotherapy.

A pilot investigation of changes in laryngeal function pre and post cochlear implant surgery.

This pilot investigation was undertaken to determine if there were any measurable changes in laryngeal function when comparing pre and post operative status with regard to cochlear implant surgery. The subjects, all totally deafened adults with varying aetiologies, were unable to monitor speech/voice production acoustically prior to surgery. The study aimed to evaluate whether change was effected to laryngeal function, and therefore voice quality, once an auditory feedback loop had been re-established and no direct therapeutic intervention had taken place. All the subjects were implanted with a multi-channel cochlear implant device (Nucleus 22: SPEAK strategy). Results indicate that a significant change can be measured in laryngeal function when comparing pre and post operative status of cochlear implant surgery. Furthermore, the assessment of laryngeal function identifies the source of acoustic findings which facilitates effective management of voice quality during rehabilitation following cochlear implantation.

An unusual cause of facial pain.

A case of chronic facial pain and headache is presented. This was found to be due to two pieces of windscreen-glass lodged in the superior meatus of the patient's nose since a road-traffic-accident 14 years earlier. Despite being reported as normal, review of previous X-rays of her sinuses showed that the glass was visible. The importance of carefully assessing the intranasal area on sinus-views is illustrated.