Bilateral parotid gland punctate calcifications in Sjögren's Syndrome: a case report.

Sjögren's syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by mononuclear infiltration of exocrine glands, most commonly the lacrimal and salivary glands. While up to 34% of patients report bilateral parotid swelling, bilateral parotid sialolithiasis remains an exceptionally rare symptom. Here we present a patient who presents to the otolaryngology clinic with presentation of bilateral punctate parotid gland sialolithiasis prior to diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome. Due to a wide array of clinical presentations frequently affecting the head and neck, otolaryngologists are often the initial providers for patients suffering from Sjögren's syndrome.

The Loudness of Suctioning in the Ear Canal.

Aim To determine the loudness of suctioning in the ear canal with different-sized suctions and various mediums. Aural microsuctioning is commonly used in the otolaryngologist's office setting for cerumen removal and aural toilet. We hypothesize that the intensity of the sound would increase with increasing viscosity of the medium and increasing suction diameter. Methods The intensity of the sound generated was measured while suctioning air, water, and yogurt on cadaveric temporal bones with size 7 and 5 Frazier suctions. This was performed with one measurer and one operator. Under otomicroscopy, the operator would suction the ear canal and the measurer would record the intensity of the sound with a sound decibel meter placed at the lateral and posterior external auditory canal. Data was collected with two separate operators and measurers to aid with inter-rater reliability. Results There was a total of 240 repeated observations (10 cadavers, 3 mediums, 2 suction devices; 2 investigators). The range of the maximum peak intensity ranged from 63.0 dB to 100.0 dB. The lowest peak intensity of decibels was recorded in air with the size 5 Frazier suction; and the highest measured was with the size 5 Frazier suction in yogurt. Statistically significant differences were found only in the measurements in air. Conclusion Our investigation found that increasing peak sound intensities were generated by increasing the viscosity of the fluid medium that was being suctioned. However, the smaller sized diameter suction actually generated louder sound intensities than the larger diameter suction with higher viscosity fluid media, but this was not statistically significant.

Consultation Intervention Rates for the Otolaryngology Service: A Large Metropolitan Hospital Experience.

CONTEXT: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the types of consultations received by an otolaryngology service at a 772-bed large metropolitan, MI-based hospital. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective review of the specific types of consultations received during calendar year 2016. RESULTS: A total of 518 consultations were reviewed and analyzed by the first and second authors (MM, CB). Consultations with low intervention rates included dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) (32.3%), dysphonia (difficulty speaking) (16%), otalgia (earache) (20.8%), hearing loss (13.3%), rule out vocal cord dysfunction (0%), and vertigo/dizziness (0%). Epistaxis (nosebleed) was the most frequent reason for consultations, and angioedema (lip or airway swelling) was the most common airway-related consultation. Notably, emergent or urgent surgery was only performed on 4.6% of sample patients. Several common consultation reasons (e.g., longer-term hearing loss evaluation and cerumen ("earwax") removal) could have been deferred for clinic-based evaluation where audiograms and microscopes are more readily available. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest areas for continuing education for primary care provider and resident education to place more appropriate hospital consultations. Annual resident lectures to prepare junior residents for the most common call scenarios (i.e., control epistaxis and incision and drainage of peritonsillar abscesses) could be helpful in this area. In addition, didactic lectures for primary care physicians on how to evaluate patients with dysphagia may be of value as this was a common consult for otolaryngologist referrals.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease in Michigan: A Rare Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease (KFD), also known as Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis, is a rare cause of prolonged cervical lymphadenopathy in both the pediatric and adult populations. It was first reported in Japan in 1972, and since, this disease has been described worldwide, although most cases have been reported in Asia. The etiology of KFD is not fully understood, although there are 2 theories that are described in detail in this review. Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease typically follows a benign course, with resolution of the lymphadenopathy within 6 months. It is important to recognize KFD as a cause of persistent lymphadenopathy, as it shares many characteristics with and must be differentiated from other causes of lymphadenopathy, including lymphoma, inflammatory disorders, autoimmune conditions, and infectious causes of lymphadenopathy. CASE PRESENTATION: Here is presented a case of an 11-year-old male who was born in Vietnam, but subsequently adopted and raised in the United States, who presented to a private practice community-based Otolaryngology group. His chief complaint was a persistent neck mass of approximately 3 months duration. He underwent excisional biopsy for suspected lymphoma, but final pathology rendered a diagnosis of KFD. CONCLUSION: The purpose of this article is not only to review the literature but also to contribute awareness of this entity in the differential diagnosis of persistent lymphadenopathy, especially for the general Otolaryngologist in a community-based setting. In addition, this review would be beneficial for other practitioners as well, specifically Pediatricians, Infectious Disease Physicians, Rheumatologists, Pathologists, and Medical Oncologists.

When Snoring isn't just Snoring: Primary Nasopharyngeal Mantle Cell Lymphoma - A Rare Pathology in the Nasopharynx.

Snoring is a common complaint in the primary care and otolaryngology clinic with a wide differential diagnosis. Primary nasopharyngeal mantle cell lymphoma is a rare cause of a nasopharyngeal mass, which can commonly manifest as snoring. The patient in this case presented with extensive history of recent worsening snoring as well as nasal congestion over the past several months. Additionally, the patient had previously undergone endoscopic sinus surgery several years prior but was lost to follow up. During nasal endoscopy, a nasopharyngeal mass was visualized with near-complete obstruction of the nasal airway. Intraoperative biopsies indicated MCL which is an uncommon pathology presenting in a rare location. Flow cytometry of the biopsy specimen was CD19+, CD20+, CD5+, and positive for lambda light chains with immunohistochemistry showed strong diffuse cyclin D1 nuclear staining on lymphoid cells. PET/CT and bone marrow biopsy were essential in staging disease, predicting success of treatment, and determining optimal treatment planning. Once the diagnosis was established, R-CHOP therapy alternating with R-DHAP for a total of six cycles. This case report highlights the importance of recognizing new or changing symptoms, appropriate diagnostic workup for lymphoma, as well as one of few case reports describing primary nasopharyngeal mantle cell lymphoma.

Correlation of Clinical Factors and Audiometric Characteristics with MRI Findings in Patients with Asymmetric Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

CONTEXT: To identify the presence of any correlative factors between presenting symptoms and characteristics of asymmetrical sensorineural hearing loss on audiogram, and if retrocochlear pathology was identified on MRI in patients presenting in a private practice setting. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients meeting inclusion criteria who underwent MRI for asymmetric hearing loss between March 2014 to March 2017 was reviewed using Allscripts electronic health records. This data was then compiled in an excel spreadsheet and submitted for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of the initial 687 study patients, N = 303 patients met the inclusion criteria for review. Of these 303, 48 patients (15.8%) had abnormal MRI findings. Chi-square analysis performed showed no significant association of varied clinical variables (e.g. uni and bi-lateral tinnitus, vertigo, etc.) with abnormal MRI. Point Biserial Correlation analysis revealed no statistically significant correlations, with the exception of that between AS (Left Ear) 6 kHz and MRI lesions (r = -0.115, p = 0.045). Logistic and multinomial logistic regression analysis used to calculate odds ratios showed that for patients with hearing loss at the 6 kHz (dB) level, there is a very slightly lower, statistically significant likelihood of lesions showing up on MRI (OR, 0.984 (95% CI, 0.970-0.998), p = 0.0251). CONCLUSIONS: The results lead to the conclusion that there may be an association between experiencing hearing loss at the level of 6 kHz and a slightly lower chance of the presence of retrocochlear lesion noted on MRI.

Pediatric nasal septal perforation secondary to magnet misuse: a case report.

We describe the case of a 7-year-old girl who had placed magnetic earrings bilaterally on her nasal ala. However, the two backing magnets that had been placed inside the nasal cavity became attached to each other rather than to the outer jewelry, compressing the nasal septum. Several weeks later, the septum became perforated. The patient was treated conservatively with mupirocin ointment, oral amoxicillin, and nasal saline. Subsequent examinations revealed no enlargement of the perforation, and the patient was followed conservatively with saline nasal spray.

Endoscopic removal of a dentigerous cyst producing unilateral maxillary sinus opacification on computed tomography.

We report the case of a 14-year-old girl who was referred to us with a 2-year history of abnormal panoramic dental x-rays. Computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses demonstrated a left unilateral maxillary sinus opacification that had been produced by an ectopic molar. The tooth was removed via an endoscopic approach rather than with a traditional Caldwell-Luc procedure. A nasal endoscope was used to create a middle meatal antrostomy and deliver the tooth and its cystic contents. The patient recovered without complications, and she exhibited no signs of recurrence at the 2-year follow-up.