[Octylcyanoacrylate (Dermabond) for skin closure at the time of head and neck surgery: a longitudinal prospective study]. / Fermeture cutanée par colle à base d'octylcyanoacrylate (Dermabond) en chirurgie cervicofaciale programmée : étude longitudinale prospective.

OBJECTIVES: A prospective non-randomised evaluation of the octyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Dermabond) for skin closure in head and neck surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An inception cohort of 52 patients managed by six otorhinolaryngologists head and neck surgeons at a single institution (university teaching and tertiary referral center) during the months of May-July 2004. The length of the skin incision varied from 3 to 30 cm (mean: 7 cm). Morbidity evaluation, longitudinal analysis of the evolution of the scar, and analysis of the degree of satisfaction. RESULTS: Postoperative death was not encountered. The overall morbidity rate was 3.8% (2/52). There was no instances of wound dehiscence's. A subcutaneous abscess was noted in one patient. From an aesthetic point of view, the scar appearance was considered to be slightly retracted during the first postoperative month and to be very good 2 to 4 months from initial surgery. Only one patient developed a minimal cheloid scar. Among the 47 patients who expressed an opinion postoperatively regarding the use of the octyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Dermabond) for skin closure, the degree of satisfaction was very high due to the ability to take an early shower (40 patients) followed by the lack of skin sutures (5 patients) and the lack of any allergic skin reaction (2 patients). CONCLUSION: At our department, the octyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Dermabond) for skin closure at the time of head and neck surgery is becoming more and more utilized due to the completion of a solid and aesthetic suture, the ability to take an early shower and the high degree of satisfaction expressed by the patients.

A study of peristomal recurrence.

This is a retrospective and a prospective study of 435 laryngectomized patients at the department of Otolaryngology, Cairo University, between 1987 and 1997. The authors analyze the data of 26 patients who returned with peristomal recurrence. A statistical analysis was performed to determine the correlation between peristomal recurrence, and the site of the primary tumor, its stage, the presence of nodal metastases and the performance of an emergency tracheostomy more than 48 hours before surgery. In this study, peristomal recurrence occurred in about 6% of our laryngectomized patients. A significant correlation was found between peristomal recurrence and the involvement of the subglottic area, T4 stage of the primary tumor and nodal metastases. No correlation was found between peristomal recurrence and emergency tracheostomy.

[Farber disease: a cause of hoarseness of the voice in children]. / Maladie de Farber: une cause de raucité de voix chez les enfants.

Farber's disease (disseminated lipogranulomatosis) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by deposition of glycolipid ceramide in different tissues due to deficiency of lysosomal acid ceramidase. The disease starts to manifest at the age of four months by a hoarse cry or swollen tender joints followed by subcutaneous nodules. This disease is fatal in the first years of life and no treatment is known until now. This study presents four cases of Farber's disease who all presented by hoarseness of voice, polyarthritis and subcutaneous nodules. After clinical examination, the diagnosis was confirmed by fiberoptic flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopy which showed the presence of vocal folds thickening in all patients and affection of the cricoarytenoid joint in one patient and biopsy from the subcutaneous nodules which showed infiltration of the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissues by fibroblasts and large foamy histiocytes.