Oral and oropharyngeal tumors.

There is a large variability of tumors and tumor-like lesions, which are located in the oral cavity and oropharynx. But more than 90% of all tumors in this area are squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Other malignancies in this location are rare. About 10% of all oral and oropharyngeal tumors are benign. Congenital lesions, like vascular malformations, lingual thyroid or (epi-)dermoid cyst, usually become present in youth or childhood. Acquired lesions can be inflammatory (abscess) or neoplastic (pleomorphic adenoma and hemangioma). Preferred imaging in childhood are ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), while in adults usually computed tomography (CT) and MRI are more frequently used.

[Symptomatic biliary stones at the lower end of the common duct following hepaticoduodenostomy]. / Symptomatische Steine im distalen Ductus-choledochus-Stumpf nach Hepatikoduodenostomie.

A 66-year-old patient developed episodes of severe pain due to recurrent cholangitis and pancreatitis. 2 years prior to this referral the patient had undergone an end-to-side hepaticoduodenostomy and a cholecystectomy because of choledocholithiasis and obstructive jaundice. 20 years previously a Billroth II operation had been carried out for the treatment of ulcer disease. Since the hepaticoduodenostomy the patient has suffered from recurrent epigastric pain, nausea and postprandial vomiting. An oedematous pancreatitis following a recurrent chronic cholangitis was assumed. As the intrahepatic biliary ducts appeared to be normal on radiological studies and hepatobiliary scintigraphy showed a downright transit of the tracer, recurrent cholangitis appeared at first to be a rather unlikely explanation. However, follow-up MRI and MRCP showed large calculi at the lower end of the common duct, which was also enlarged up to 1 cm. For this reason an open duodenotomy with subsequent papillosphincterotomy and retrograde choledochoscopy was carried out. The diagnosis was confirmed hereby and all calculi were removed during the operation. Since then the patient has been free of symptoms and complaints. This case shows that remaining calculi at the lower end of the common bile duct can cause severe clinical problems. Therefore the bile ducts should be inspected endoscopically and stones removed prior to, or during the primary operation.