[Transverse maxillary deficiency: interest in the management of chronic nasal obstruction]. / Disjonction intermaxillaire : intérêt dans la prise en charge de l'obstruction nasale chronique.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the surgical orthodontic technique of correcting transverse maxillary deficiency associated with nasal obstruction and malocclusion. SURGICAL PROCEDURE: The surgical-orthodontic correction of transverse maxillary deficiency consists in an incomplete Le Fort I procedure, without down-fracture, associated with a sagittal palatal osteotomy. This procedure is called SARE (Surgically Assisted Rapid Expansion). A pre-fabricated orthodontic appliance is cemented to premolars and molars prior to the surgical procedure. The patient activates the appliance allowing a 1 mm widening a day up to 10 mm. A stabilisation phase is mandatory to avoid early relapse of the correction. This phase involves ossification of the midline osteotomy site. RESULTS: A 22 year old female consulted for a chronic nasal obstruction. Previous treatments, medical and surgical (septoplasty) did not improve her symptoms. She presented with a typical transverse maxillary hypoplasia. She underwent a surgery with the technique described above. Nasal patency improvement was noted on the first post-operative day. This was confirmed by comparing pre and post-operative rhinomanometry. An orthodontic treatment followed for several months to stabilize the result. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Main advantages of this surgical intervention are to correct both the dental malocclusion and the nasal obstruction by widening the nasal floor and the maxillary arch. Post-operative period is mostly uneventful. It can take up to six months to achieve a good result that is why a strong collaboration has to exist between the surgeon, the orthodontist and the patient.

[Paraganglioma of the cerebellopontine angle: report of two cases]. / Paragangliomes de l'angle ponto-cérébelleux: à propos de deux cas.

Paragangliomas of the cerebellopontine angle are exceptional tumours. We report two cases of paragangliomas of the cerebellopontine angle. To our knowledge, including these two cases, only five cases have been reported in the international literature. The emerging field of genetic study of these tumours will prove critical for their diagnosis and prognosis. The presence of paraganglioma in this area is explained by an abnormal embryologic migration of paraganglionic cells into the cerebellopontine angle, associated with tumorogenesis. These tumors can be associated with others cervico-facial tumours and to genomic abnormalities. The preoperative diagnosis of these tumours is very difficult, with clinical signs like hearing loss, vertigo and tinnitus are very ambiguous. Radiologic assessment of the cerebellopontine angle is also vague. The final diagnosis is only made possible peroperatively and by the post-operative histopathologic study. ENT and neurosurgeons should be awarded of the possible existence of paragangliomas of the cerebellopontine angle, and the necessity of a systemic and genetic assessment.