[Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the trachea]. / Carcinome adénoïde kystique de la trachée.

UNLABELLED: Cystic adenoid carcinoma of the trachea, also called cylindroma, is a rare malignant tumor accounting for 1% of all respiratory tract cancers. OBJECTIVES: To recall through two observations and a review of the literature, various epidemiologic anatomical clinical aspects, and evolutionary of cystic glandular carcinome of the respiratory tracts. We report 2 cases of cystic glandular carcinoma of the trachea. CLINICAL CASE: They were two women of 60 and 49 year old who came with a deterioration of the general status with dyspnea, dysphonia and/or dysphagia. Radiological explorations visualized, in the first case, a tumoral process of the superior half of the trachea and, in the second case, a tumoral circumferential process budding in the sub-glottic area and reaching the first rings of the trachea. The two patients had a removal of the tumour An auxiliary radiotherapy was indicated in the first case. CONCLUSION: Cystic adenoid carcinomas of the trachea are rare tumours. Their diagnosis is based on the bronchial fibroscopy associated with the biopsy. The optimal treatment is surgical associated with the radiotherapy. The palliative treatments keep a place among inoperable patients.

[Eagle's syndrome]. / Le syndrome de Eagle.

OBJECTIVES: Elongated styloid process also known as Eagle's syndrome is an entity that may be the source of craniofacial and cervical pain. It is frequently reported but is probably more common than generally considered. The symptoms related to Eagle's syndrome can be confused with those attributed to a wide variety of oropharyngeal and maxillofacial diseases. From four observations of Eagle's syndrome, we recall the clinical and radiological findings of this affection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of four patients examined during a 2-year period. These patients presented cervical pain associated with headache, vertigo, otalgia and dysphagia. All patients were explored by conventional radiographs and three-dimensional computer tomography reconstruction. RESULTS: Digital palpation of the fossa reproduced and exacerbated the pain. Neck radiographic examination showed a bilateral elongation of the styloid process in both cases. The cervical scanner showed a bilateral elongation of the styloid process in all cases. CONCLUSION: Eagle's syndrome is a frequent entity that remains vaguely known by physicians. Three-dimensional computer tomography is useful for the diagnosis of this entity.

[Imaging of rhinocerebral mucormycosis]. / L'imagerie dans la mucormycose rhinocérébrale.

PURPOSE: Rhinocerebal mucormycosis is a rare life threatening fungal infection observed in immunocompromised patients. We report six cases of patients with rhinocerebral mucormycosis confirmed histologically. Our study confirms the necessity of early diagnosis when clinical and CT findings are suggestive. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study including 6 diabetic patients (3 women and 3 men) aged from 28 and 63 years. Five patients had ethmoiditis evolving for a few days (3 to 5 days), and one patient was in an ketoacidotic coma and had a severe infectious syndrome with purulent rhinorrhea evolving for 4 days. All of our patients underwent computed tomography (CT) scan of the paranasal sinuses. MRI was performed in two patients with neurological findings. RESULTS: Unilateral ethmoido-maxillary sinusitis was noted in 5 cases. Only one case of pansinusitis was found. All patients presented orbital involvement. Cerebral involvement was noted in 4 cases (cerebral venous thrombosis: 2 cases; abscess: 2 cases; cerebral ischemia: 2 cases). The diagnosis of mucormycosis was based on endonasal biopsy. When available, MRI allowed a more precise evaluation of the orbital and cerebral extension. CONCLUSION: Mucormycosis is an opportunist mycosis due to mucoralis fungus. It is very invasive with a highly aggressive potential in diabetic or immunocompromised patients. Imaging study particularly CT scan, plays an important role in diagnosis especially to evaluate cerebral extension.

[Cold parapharyngeal abscess in spondylodiscitis]. / Les abcès froids parapharyngés sur spondylodiscite.

BACKGROUND: The principle danger of pharyngeal abscess is the risk of rupture overflow into the upper respiratory track. Pyogenic abscesses are the most frequent and tuberculosis is rare. We report two cases of retro and parapharyngeal abscesses with tuberculous spondylodiscitis. CASE REPORTS: The first case occurred in a 54-year-old woman, the second in a 19-year-old man. Both had a laterocervical swelling associated with a oropharyneal bulge that progressed over several months. Computed tomography showed abscess formation and spinal disease in both cases. Drainage of the abscess led to the distological diagnosis of tuberculosis. Medical management was successful with resolution of the abscess and spinal lesions. DISCUSSION: Spinal tuberculosis should be suspected in patients with a parapharyngeal abscess without detectable portal that progresses slowly. A biopsy specimen is required for diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging can provide early evidence of spondylodiscities. Medical treatment is indicated.

[Histology of the larynx]. / Histologie du larynx.

The mucous membrane lining the interior of the larynx was studied in autopsy specimens taken from 21 infant larynxes, with ages ranging from 1 to 15 years. Only those larynxes in which the epithelial mucosal structures were preserved were set aside for study. A standard histological technique was applied. Paraffin sections were stained with haematoxylin-eosin, PAS, Masson's triple stain and orcine. The epithelium of the ventricles, ventricular bands and subglottis was found to be of respiratory type. On the vocal folds, the lining was non-keratinising squamous epithelium. These findings are consistent with those found in the literature. Findings that differed were as follows: the laryngeal surface of the epiglottis is classically described as having a respiratory type of epithelium, whereas we found it to be of non-keratinising stratified squamous type. The literature describes the epithelium of the ventricular bands as respiratory. While in our series we found stratified squamous in 56% and respiratory in 44%. Other findings are imprecise in the literature, and need definition; the finding of taste papillae in six cases without age correlation; and the richness of follicles in the lymphoid tissue at the epiglottis and ventricles of children aged more than 3 months.

[Nasal localization of the Crohn's disease]. / La localisation nasale de la maladie de Crohn.

Crohn's diseases is a chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Any part of the gastrointestinal tract may be affected, and 9% of cases have oral lesions (1). Nasal involvement is exceptionally rare. We report a case of nasal involvement revealed by chronic atrophic rhinitis in a patient with known Crohn's disease.

[Fistula of the 4th endobranchial pouch: a case report]. / Les fistules de la 4ème fente endobranchiale: à propos d'une observation.

The congenital fistula of the 4th branchial pouch is rare. Clinical and therapeutic difficulties are often found. The authors describe a new case of fistula of the fourth endobronchial pouch and precise the embryogenesis, the clinical diagnosis and the surgical treatment.