[How to treat a thyroid adenocarcinoma inside a branchial cyst]. / Conduite à tenir devant la découverte d'un adénocarcinome thyroïdien dans un kyste branchial.

The authors reported three cases of branchial cycts containing a thyroid adenocarcinoma. This rare condition imposed a search for the primary tumor. All complementary investigations remained negative as in the few cases reported in the medical literature. A loboisthmectomy for one and a total thyroidectomy for the two others, with cervical recurential neck dissection for all was carried out. Histological examination of the operative specimen after total blocking in paraffin helped discover microscopic foci of papillary carcinoma in the thyroid gland. These data justified this therapeutic attitude because the nature of the adenocarcinoma found in the branchial cyst is likely to be metastatic.

[Conditions of the remaining thyroid tissue after partial thyroidectomy]. / Devenir du tissu thyroïdien après thyroïdectomie partielle.

The authors have realized a retrospective study about 246 patients who underwent partial thyroidectomy for a benign nodule or goiter between 1982 and 1991. Recurrence was analized with the method of Kaplan-Meier and concerned 11% of the patients at 3 years and 30% at 8 years. The statistical analysis showed that only patients with postoperative hormonal treatment were at risk of recurrence. This treatment was not randomized. Other studied factors (sex, age, type of surgery, pathological results, TSH level) are not correlated with recurrence. Surgical management is discussed.

[Endonasal ethmoidectomy in naso-sinusal polyposis. Results in 110 surgically treated patients]. / L'ethmoïdectomie endonasale dans la polypose naso-sinusienne. Résultats à propos de 110 patients opérés.

We assessed retrospectively functional and endoscopic results obtained in 110 patients who underwent endonasal ethmoidectomy (n = 218). The patients were divided into 3 groups according to associated pathology (polyposis alone, asthma without intolerance to aspirin, Widal's disease) and outcome was evaluated after a mean 19.5 month follow-up. Function was improved in 88% of the patients. Endoscopic recurrence was seen in 40% of the patients including 10% with major polyposis. Oedema of the mucose remained in 20% of the patients and the mucosa was normal in 40%. Improvement in patients with Widal's disease was the least favourable among the three groups and was best in those with asthma and no intolerance to aspirin. Post-operative complications occurred in 12.6% of the patients and were severe in 0.9%. These satisfactory results, both in terms of function and the low rate of complications, suggest that the current medicosurgical management should be continued with particular attention to the rate of endoscopic recurrence.

Study of the efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin in the treatment of chronic sinusitis.

Over a 12-month period, 56 patients with acute exacerbations of chronic sinusitis were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 48.6 +/- 10.1 years. The period between the onset of sinus symptoms and inclusion in the study was 10.1 +/- 12.1 years and the exacerbation had lasted 2.4 +/- 4.4 months. Patients were given 500 mg ciprofloxacin twice daily for 9 days. Bacteriological specimens taken at inclusion were positive in 53.6% of cases, 25 Gram-positive and 16 Gram-negative pathogens being isolated. At the end of the treatment, rhinorrhoea, which was the main criterion for evaluation of the efficacy of treatment, had disappeared in 46/54 (85%) patients who were examined. Of the 30 patients whose sinusitis was confirmed by bacteriological test, the bacteria were eradicated in 90% of cases. At the end of a 4-week follow-up period after the end of treatment, the clinical success rate was 74.5%, the partial success rate 21.2% and the failure rate 4.3%. There were no bacteriological recurrences. Ten adverse events were observed in seven patients and in four (7%) of these treatment had to be withdrawn. This study showed ciprofloxacin to be an effective and well tolerated treatment for exacerbations of chronic sinusitis treated in non-hospital practice.

Study of the efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin in the treatment of chronic otitis.

Over a period of 18 months 76 patients presenting with acute exacerbations of chronic otitis were enrolled in this study. The mean age of the patients was 46.4 +/- 16.8 years, the interval between the onset of symptoms of otitis and enrollment in the study was 22.1 +/- 19.4 years and the infective episode had been developing for 36.4 +/- 72.4 days. The patients received either 500 or 750 mg ciprofloxacin twice daily for a period of 9 days with no topical antibiotic treatment. The bacteriological specimen taken at enrollment was positive in 93% of the patients and led to the isolation of 85 microorganisms, 65% of which were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus or Proteus mirabilis. At the end of the treatment period, discharge from the ears (the primary clinical evaluation criterion) had ceased in 44/69 (64%) patients examined. The clinical cure rate was 23/39 (59%) for patients treated with 500 mg ciprofloxacin twice daily and 21/30 (70%) for those treated with 750 mg twice daily (difference was not statistically significant). At the end of a 4-week post-treatment follow-up, the clinical relapse rate was 7%. There was no relapse in the patients with chronic otitis which had been bacteriologically documented. Eight adverse effects were observed in five patients and treatment had to be discontinued in one case. This study shows ciprofloxacin to be an effective and safe agent for use in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic otitis treated in general practice. In certain cases, however, additional treatment with a topical antibiotic may be desirable.

[Initial results of 132 ethmoidectomies by endonasal approach]. / Résultats préliminaires de 132 ethmoïdectomies par voie endonasale.

47 cases of nasal polyposis and 19 cases of suppurated ethmoiditis were treated by intranasal ethmoidectomy. Results were evaluated by functional signs and nasosinusal endoscopy. 15 patients, among nasal polyposis, suffered from corticodependent asthma and 5 from Widal's disease. 64 patients were regularly followed-up for 1 to 4 years. Results in polyposis, after two years, in 47% of cases no recurrence was noted, a minor recurrence in 40% of cases, and 13% of failures with predominant Widal's disease. These results with low percentage of complications have lead us to choose intranasal ethmoidectomy. In suppurated ethmoiditis, results are good in 90% of cases if follow up is regular.

[Mycoses of the maxillary sinus. Apropos of 40 cases]. / Les mycoses du sinus maxillaire. A propos de 40 cas.

Between 1985 and 1992, 40 patients with mycosis of the maxillary sinus were treated in the department at Hôpital Saint Michel and of otolaryngology, head-neck surgery at Hôpital Saint Michel and their charts retrospectively analysed. The clinical signs, radiological findings and etiopathological hypothesis are described. The authors report their experience of functional endoscopic sinus surgery for treatment of mycosis of maxillary sinus. A high rate of postoperative successes, a low rate of complications, the recovery of a normal intrasinusal aerial flow and the easy endoscopic follow-up lead them to adverate the use FESS in primary treatment for mycosis of the maxillary sinus.

[Therapeutic approach in chronic maxillary sinusitis. Apropos of 469 patients and 640 sinuses]. / Approche thérapeutique des sinusites maxillaires chroniques. A propos de 469 patients et de 640 sinus.

Between 1982 and 1987 we treated 469 patients who accounted for a total of 640 involved sinuses. These patients suffered from various stages of chronic sinusitis. Endoscopy of the maxillary sinuses enabled us to collect important information regarding the state of the mucosa and secretions, to collect bacteriological samples and to inspect the ostium and take pressure measurements. There was an 80% success rate in cases of sinusitis treated by drainage. In our opinion the indication for inferior meatotomy is as an extraction procedure and is not of value for aeration drainages. Nevertheless, out of a total of 141 inferior meatotomies performed, 80% remained patent after a mean follow up period of 3 years.

[Indications, technics and results of middle meatotomy. Apropos of 94 cases]. / Indications, techniques, résultats des méatotomies moyennes. A propos de 94 cas.

Middle meatotomies were essentially performed during the second period of our study from 1985 to 1987. The typical indication was for closed sinusitis, in order to allow aeration and satisfactory drainage. This was performed with an optical system at 30 degrees. The technique used was an anterior approach via total unciformectomy or a posterior approach using an Ostrum forceps. Good results, i.e. meatotomies which remained patent, were obtained in 80% of cases. The mean period of follow up was 3 years (6 months to 4 years). There were few complications overall for this form of endonasal surgery, though the possibility of damage to the lacrymal duct does exist. Synechiae were the most important functional complication and need to be prevented by meticulous post-operative care.

[On the contribution of magnets in sequelae of facial paralysis. Preliminary clinical study]. / De l'apport des aimants dans les séquelles des paralysies faciales. Etude clinique préliminaire.

This trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of EPOREC 1 500 magnets as an adjuvant to rehabilitation following peripheral facial paralysis. Magnetotherapy is used in many other specialties, and in particular in rheumatology. The properties of repulsion between identical poles were used to decrease the effect of sequelae in the form of contractures on the facial muscles. There were two groups of 20 patients: one group with physiotherapy only and the other with standard rehabilitation together with the use of magnets. These 40 patients had facial paralysis of various origins (trauma, excision of acoustic neuroma, Bell's palsy etc). Obviously all patients had an intact nerve. It was at the time of the development of contractures that magnets could be used in terms of evaluation of their efficacy of action on syncinesiae, contractures and spasticity. Magnets were worn at night for a mean period of six months and results were assessed in terms of disappearance of eye-mouth syncinesiae, and in terms of normality of facial tone. Improvement and total recovery without sequelae were obtained far more frequently in the group which wore magnets, encouraging us to continue along these lines.

[Usefulness of the laser in post-radiotherapy arytenoid edema]. / Utilité du laser dans les oedèmes aryténoïdiens post-radiothérapiques.

Laser treatment of post-radiotherapy arytenoid edema was applied to two groups of patients with either laryngeal mobility or immobility. When mobility was normal the technic was simple, since only resection of the arytenoid edema was necessary and results were always excellent. In the second group, resection of arytenoid edema must be combined with partial or total resection of arytenoid, but in this case there is a risk of chondritis. Results in this series were excellent and only one case of post-laser radionecrosis was noted.

[Primary malignant melanoma of the parotid gland: anatomico-clinical study. Apropos of a case and review of the medical literature]. / Mélanome malin primitif de la parotide: étude anatomo-clinique. A propos d'une observation avec revue de la littérature médicale.

A 62 yo man presented with an enlargement of the parotid gland that had accentuated over the past ten months. Results of a needle aspiration cytology were interpreted as consistent with an adenocarcinoma. A surgical investigation was decided. Frozen and paraffin sections of superficial parotidectomy specimen disclosed a malignant melanoma. This specimen also contained an intraparotid lymph node which was free of tumor. Cervical lymph node dissection yielded 4 metastatic adenopathies among 15 lymph nodes. A retrospective search for an anterior melanocytic lesion was negative. The final diagnosis was primary malignant melanoma of the parotid gland. Cervical radiotherapy was applied. 7 months later, the patient died of diffuse metastatic involvement in the skin, brain, lungs and liver. No local recurrence occurred. Review of the medical literature revealed the rarity of malignant melanomas of the parotid gland (0.68%). No significant differences concerning clinical data and pathological aspects were noted in so called primary malignant melanoma and secondary malignant melanoma of the parotid gland. Nevertheless, primary malignant melanoma of the parotid gland is a controversial entity. Pathogenesis is discussed on the light of modern concepts of diffuse neuro-endocrine system. Prognosis remains poor, due to a late diagnosis and to an inherent aggressiveness of this type of tumor.

[Musculocutaneous flaps of pectoralis major. Anatomical and technical aspects, results, and literature review (author's transl)]. / Notre expérience des lambeaux musculo-cutanés de grand pectoral. Anatomie, technique. Résultats, revue de la littérature.

After a review of reports in the published literature on the employ of musculocutaneous flaps of pectoralis major, and a brief historical outline, the techniques employed, indications, advantages, and results obtained are discussed. Surgery for cancer, particularly in the buccopharyngeal region, could be partly transformed by this excellent reparative procedure because of the wide surgical scope it allows, and the spectacular functional results obtained.