Second primary malignancies in head and neck cancer patients: high prevalence of curable-stage disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients treated for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) carry a high risk of second primary malignancies (SPM). Recently, computed tomography (CT) of the chest was shown to significantly decrease the risk of death due to bronchial carcinoma (BC) in a cohort of smokers whose risk of BC is increased but might be lower than that of patients previously treated for HNSCC. Thus, the present study evaluated the potential benefit of CT and other examinations in the detection of SPM in HNSCC patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between July 2008 and November 2011, 118 participants underwent a prospective, systematic examination for SPM (13 women, 105 men, median age 62 years). All patients had been previously treated for HNSCC and showed no recurrence or distant metastases at the time of the study start. CT scans, ear-nose-throat endoscopy, and endoscopy of the esophagus and stomach were performed. RESULTS: Overall, 33 suspicious findings were clarified by additional investigations. In all, 26 SPM were confirmed in 21 of 118 patients (18%; 10 lung, 7 HNSCC, 3 gastrointestinal, 1 renal). Eighteen of these 21 patients (86%) underwent therapy with curative intent. CONCLUSION: The examinations revealed a high prevalence of curable stage SPM in HNSCC patients. Adapting a surveillance scheme including a chest CT is recommended.

[Demonstration of increased natural spontaneous activity of cranioesophageal and laryngeal muscles by PET-CT]. / Nachweis der natürlichen Spontanaktivität der kranioösophagealen und der Kehlkopfmuskulatur durch das PET-CT.

The muscles of the cranioesophageal sphincter system feature continuous natural spontaneous resting activity. Thus, they resemble the anorectal sphincter system. We studied metabolic activity and morphology of the proximal sphincter system at rest in 23 individuals (14 females, nine males) using PET-CT scanning. We found that metabolic activity was significantly higher than in other muscle groups of the body at rest (P=0.001). In contrast to the horizontally oriented anal sphincters, the proximal sphincter system is developed as a vertical assembly of long, interlocking muscular tubes. These are innervated by five cranial nerves and three sensory organ nerves and form a functional unit that extends from the orbicularis oris muscle via the pharynx and larynx to the lower esophageal sphincter. The larynx shows only one active muscle, i.e., the posterior cricoarytaenoid muscle, that maintains airway patency. The lower esophageal sphincter can be visualized by PET-CT as a vertically oriented stretching sphincter. It features a spiral-shaped design made up of muscle maxima and minima which correlates well with its asymmetric muscle activity. This complex proximal sphincter system shows great developmental variability among different animal species. However, the general functional principle is similar in all.

Cortical representation of the orbicularis oculi muscle as assessed by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

OBJECTIVES: To analyze characteristic features and details on motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) of the orbicularis oculi muscle resulting from cortical transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in normal subjects as a basis for further investigations on motorcortical representation in patients presenting with facial nerve diseases. STUDY DESIGN: MEPs of the orbicularis oculi muscle resulting from focal cortical TMS with a figure-8-shaped coil were investigated in 17 healthy subjects with special regard to amplitude and onset latency as a function of the coil position on the head surface along the interaural line and in the anterior-posterior direction. The results were then compared with our data on lower-lip mimetic muscles and on the frontalis muscle obtained in previous studies. RESULTS: Bilateral reproducible responses could be observed at coil positions varying from 1 to 13 cm lateral to the vertex. During moderate muscle activation, maximum responses (mean amplitude 0.75 +/- 0.44 mV contralateral, 0.74 +/- 0.36 mV ipsilateral) were obtained at a mean stimulus position of 8.6 +/- 1.6 cm lateral and 2.0 +/- 2.2 cm anterior to the vertex for contralateral responses, and of 8.6 +/- 2.0 cm lateral and 2.8 +/- 2.4 cm anterior to the vertex for ipsilateral responses, respectively. Voluntary muscle activation by forced eye-closure was associated with a further increase in mean amplitudes. At rest, bilateral responses could be elicited in 15 subjects (88.2%). During moderate muscle activation, the shortest mean onset latencies were obtained at the optimum stimulus position on the interaural line, both for contralateral (10.2 +/- 1.3 ms) and ipsilateral (10.6 +/- 1.5 ms) MEPs. Comparing our data on the orbicularis oculi muscle with those obtained on lower-lip muscles and on the frontalis muscle, there was a considerable overlap of coil positions from which reproducible MEPs could be elicited in all three groups of mimetic muscles, but with the orbicularis oculi area being placed between forehead and lower-lip motorcortical areas. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant separation of the cortical representation areas of forehead, orbicularis oris, and lower-lip mimetic muscles is possible by focal cortical TMS reflecting a kind of somatotopic organization of the face-associated motorcortex. Compared with the results on lower-lip and forehead muscles, orbicularis oculi muscle responses show characteristics of both.

Aplasia of the depressor anguli oris muscle: a rare cause of congenital lower lip palsy?

Congenital unilateral lower lip palsy (CULLP) with or without additional malformations is a well-known limited variation of congenital unilateral facial palsy. Some electromyographical studies referred to a hypoplasia or an aplasia of the depressor anguli oris muscle. However, no attempt has been made to investigate the cause for this mimical disorder by using imaging procedures. We examined the occurrence of the depressor anguli oris muscle in 7 patients presenting with congenital lower lip palsy by using B-scan sonography. In 6 of the patients, the muscle was well-developed on the affected side, but only in one patient the muscle seemed to be completely absent. Thus, in the majority of cases, hypoplasia or aplasia of the depressor anguli oris muscle is obviously not the reason for this mimical disorder. This observation may be important with regard to a possible therapeutic management.

3D virtual endoscopy of the upper airway: optimization of the scan parameters in a cadaver phantom and clinical assessment.

Our goal was to evaluate the influence of the scan parameters on the 3D virtual endoscopy of the larynx and trachea and the clinical assessment. Helical CT (HiSpeed Advantage; GE, Milwaukee, WI, U.S.A.) of a cadaver phantom was performed with increased collimation (1-10 mm) and pitch (0.5-3). Seventy-two patients with complaints of the upper airways were investigated by virtual endoscopy and their results were compared with the findings of regular endoscopy. Best correlation between virtual endoscopy and anatomical findings, diagnostic quality of the axial slices, and useful longitudinal coverage of the examination were obtained with a collimation of 3 mm and a pitch of 1.5. Space-occupying tumors and stenosis were detected correctly, but the mucous membrane could not be visualized. 3D virtual endoscopy proved to be a valuable method for displaying anatomical structures. For an optimal protocol, a collimation of 3 mm with a pitch of 1.5 is recommended.

[Interscalenic block and surgery of the shoulder. A prospective study of a continuous series of 167 patients]. / Bloc interscalénique et chirurgie de l'épaule. Etude prospective d'une série continue de 167 patients.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between minimal stimulating current and success rate of interscalene brachial plexus block (IBPB), to assess the quality of anaesthesia and postoperative analgesia, and to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of this technique in shoulder surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study of a continuous series of clinical cases. PATIENTS: Series of 167 patients undergoing shoulder surgery under IBPB, obtained with Winnie's technique, in 1995. METHODS: The plexus was located with a nerve stimulator and an insulated needle, 25 mm long and with a short 30 degrees bevel (Stimuplex, Braun). Data were collected with questionnaires, filled in by the anaesthetists, the surgeon and patients. RESULTS: Shoulder surgery was performed either under IBPB alone in 51.5% of cases (group A), or under IBPB associated with sedation (midazolam: 1-3 mg) in 31.7% (group B), or under IBPB associated with general anaesthesia either on the patient's request (11.4% = group C) or due to IBPB failure (5.4% = group D). The success rate was 94.6% and the efficiency of postoperative analgesia obtained in 100% of cases (no pain at admission in the recovery room). For the nerve location a minimal stimulating current of 0.08 to 1 mA (mean minimal stimulating current 0.42 +/- 0.17 mA) had been required, with a significant difference (P = 0.0001) between group A (0.38 +/- 0.14 mA) and the others (0.43 +/- 0.15 mA in group B, 0.50 +/- 0.21 mA in group C, 0.59 +/- 0.23 mA in group D). CONCLUSIONS: The correlation between minimal stimulating current and success rate has clearly shown the benefit of the nerve stimulation. IBPB, which provides a successful and efficient anaesthesia with minimal risk and satisfactory postoperative analgesia, has become the standard technique for shoulder surgery.

[Three-dimensional surface imaging of the larynx and trachea by spiral CT: virtual endoscopy]. / Dreidimensionale Oberflächendarstellung des Larynx und der Trachea mittels Spiral-CT: virtuelle Endoskopie.

A survey presents the technical conditions and facilities of the computed tomographic virtual endoscopy. The inner surface of the upper airway was reconstructed from the data set of a helical CT. The anatomical structures were visualized in over 80 patients. 15 patients with a suspected tracheal stenosis were additional investigated. The virtual endoscopy allowed an identification of the anatomical structures. Pathological endoluminal findings, as stenosis, were investigated successfully. The virtual endoscopy combines the advantages of helical CT and the imaging of the endoluminal surface. Compared with the endoscopic examination the non-invasive technique offers additional indications, especially in high-risk patients or non-passable Stenosis.