Evaluation of microvascular density in inflammatory lesions and carcinoma of palatine tonsil.

The tonsil carcinoma with squamous cells seems to be one of the neoplastic lesions with a growing incidence worldwide, even in those geographical areas where the smoking incidence has been reduced. In the disease etiopathogenesis, more factors are incriminated. Among these, the most frequently mentioned are smoking, alcohol consumption and the infection with the Human Papilloma Virus. Among the morphological modifications incriminated for the tumoral appearance and development, there is also included the angiogenesis process that involves the apparition of new blood vessels out from the pre-existent ones, vessels that bring a plus of oxygen and nutritive substances for the tumoral cells. Taking into consideration the fact that the tumoral process is most often accompanied by an inflammatory reaction, in our study we also determined the microvascular density in the carcinoma with squamous cells in the palatine tonsil and in chronic tonsillitis, compared to the vascular density in normal tonsil stroma. We quantified the reaction of the mast cells in the stroma of the two types of lesions, too. The microvascular density in the carcinoma with squamous cells in the palatine tonsil was a lot greater than the microvascular density in chronic tonsillitis. The maximum number of blood vessels in tumoral lesions as well as their area, quantified through the "hot spot" technique on the surface unit, was around two times greater than in chronic tonsillitis. The number of mast cells was significantly larger in chronic tonsillitis and in tonsil carcinoma, too, but the reaction of these cells in the inflammatory affections was more intense than in the neoplastic lesions.

CT angiography before embolization for hemorrhage in head and neck cancer.

We present a patient with advanced head and neck carcinoma and a bleeding pseudoaneurysm diagnosed by means of CT angiography; this was not apparent on conventional digital subtraction angiograms. The information provided by CT angiography facilitated rapid identification of the pseudoaneurysm and treatment with embolization. CT angiography may be helpful before embolization in cases of hemorrhage in head and neck cancer.

Angioleiomyoma in the tonsil: an uncommon tumour in a rare site.

An angioleiomyoma was excised from the palatine tonsil in a 30-year-old woman who complained of a painless swelling in the region of the tonsil. The mucosa covering the lesion showed prominent dilated blood vessels, necessitating vascular laboratory investigations to exclude any possibility of an aneurysm arising from the carotid system. The mass was excised with little blood loss. This was an uncommon tumour in an unusual site and required radio-imaging and angiographic studies of the great vessels of the head and neck before any operation was attempted. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported in English.

[Embolization of the branches of the external carotid artery]. / Embolizacja rozgalezien tetnicy szyjnej zewnetrznej.

Authors present their own experience with the embolization of the external carotid artery branches. The main indications to embolization included well vascularized and hemorrhagic brain tumors in facial part of the skull, mainly meningiomas, juvenile angiofibromas, and angioneuromyomas. Embolization of external carotid artery was performed in 15 patients. Complete impatience of blood vessel supplying the tumor was achieved in 12 cases, but it was incomplete in 3 cases. Single serious complication in the form of hemiplegia was noted. There were also mild complications in 5 patients, which did not require any intervention.