Angiomyoma of the retropharyngeal space

We report the case of a 65-year-old male patient with an angiomyoma of the retropharyngeal space. Angiomyoma is a tumour that arises from the smooth muscle in the wall of blood vessels. It is a relatively rare tumour of the head and neck, mostly in deep locations. This one is the second reported angiomyoma of the retropharyngeal space. Although image examinations and fine needle aspiration (FNA) did point to a vascular tumour, the diagnosis of this lesion is made by on excisional biopsy and histological staining with vimentin, desmin, actin or myosin. The treatment is excision of the tumour and recurrence is exceptional.     

Liposarcoma of the retropharyngeal space

Liposarcoma is a common soft tissue malignancy that occurs infrequently in the head and neck. Liposarcoma of the retropharynx is exceptionally rare, only four cases being described in the literature. We present a case in which retropharyngeal liposarcoma occurred in a patient who had had multiple previous subcutaneous lipomas excised. This paper explores this very unusual presentation and discusses the difficulties in the diagnosis and management of this rare tumour.     

Extra-axial chordoma of the gingiva

BackgroundExtra-axial chordomas are exceedingly rare malignant tumours. Herein, we present the first case of an extra-axial chordoma in the gingivae.Methods and resultsA 21-year-old man presented with a suspected chordoma in the upper right gingiva. Diagnosis was difficult; however, owing to strong expression of the chordoma marker brachyury, extra-axial chordoma was ultimately diagnosed. The tumour was completely resected without performing a facial incision. To ensure its safety and effectiveness, the surgical procedure was simulated several times before its performance using a three-dimensional (3D) model. Twenty-four months after surgery, the patient remains disease-free.ConclusionA diagnosis of extra-axial chordoma can be confirmed by immunohistochemical staining for brachyury.     

Tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess

Chronic retropharyngeal abscess caused by tuberculosis is rare. It should be suspected in a person who presents with a destructive lesion of the vertebra and a retropharyngeal mass. Early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to prevent the serious complications of the disease. We present the case of a patient who came to our clinic with collapse of the C5-C6 vertebrae and retropharyngeal abscess. We were able to avoid any complications by initiating early surgical drainage and antituberculous therapy.     

Traumatic retropharyngeal hematoma

The development of a retropharyngeal hematoma following a whiplash injury is a rare occurrence. The potential for airway compression necessitates rapid assessment and treatment. An 80-year-old man who had been receiving long-term aspirin therapy sustained a retropharyngeal hematoma following a motor vehicle accident. Management consisted of tracheostomy, neck exploration, and evacuation and drainage of the hematoma. To the best of our knowledge, there are less than 20 citations of traumatic retropharyngeal hematoma in the English literature. Retropharyngeal hematoma has been associated with cervical extension/flexion injuries, anticoagulation therapy, great-vessel trauma, and foreign body ingestion.     

Paediatric retropharyngeal abscess

Retropharyngeal abscess (RPA) is an uncommon condition with the potential for significant morbidity and mortality if not detected early. The authors present a case report of a 19-month-old child who presented with the common clinical features of a retropharyngeal abscess and in whom the diagnosis was not established by examination and ultrasonography. This led to a delay in appropriate management until a computed tomography (CT) scan was performed under general anaesthesia. The scan demonstrated the diagnosis and surgical drainage was performed under the same anaesthetic. The child subsequently made a complete recovery. The investigation and treatment of RPAs is a matter of some debate and the authors review the recent literature to determine the best management strategy.     

Fibrous dysplasia in the retropharyngeal area

More fibro-osseous lesions originate in the bones of the extremities than in the craniomaxillofacial bones, scapula, and ribs, which are rarely involved. Fibro-osseous lesions that decrease the quality of life should be treated surgically. We report the case of a fibro-osseous lesion that caused globus pharyngeus and dysphagia. We discuss the clinical, radiologic, and histopathologic features of this case as well as the removal of this unusual lesion by Doppler ultrasound-guided surgery. To the best of our knowledge, no other case of a fibro-osseous lesion in the retropharyngeal area has been reported in the literature.     

Synovial sarcoma in the retropharyngeal space

Synovial sarcoma is an aggressive mesenchymal tumour, rarely occurring in the head and neck. Management guidelines are by extrapolation of management of sarcomas in the extremities. We present a case involving the retropharyngeal space in a 20-year-old male. Analysis of more data on head and neck synovial sarcoma is necessary to make meaningful management recommendations.     

Primary chordoma of the ethmoid sinus

Primary chordoma of the paranasal sinuses are extremely rare tumours, with only a small number of cases verified and published in the literature. It appears that only five of these cases involved the ethmoid sinuses either as a primary or by local invasion, and of these documented cases only one other has been found to solely involve the ethmoid sinus. We present a case of primary ethmoid sinus chordoma treated by wide local surgical excision and present a review of the literature with regard to prevalence and treatment rationale.     

Primary chordoma of the maxillary sinus

A case of primary chordoma of the maxillary sinus is presented. The embryology of the notochord is reviewed and it is suggested that the frequently used adjective “ectopic” is a misnomer. The literature of primary paranasal sinus chordomas is reviewed and the clinicopathological features described. It is emphasized that these lesions can mimic other benign and malignant processes both clinically, radiographically and histologically. The treatment and prognosis is more favorable than the more common craniocervical chordoma.     

Chondroid chordoma of the nasal septum

Chondroid chordoma is an uncommon malignant tumor of bone that occurs mostly in patients of early middle age. To our knowledge, this tumor has not been previously described in the nasal septum as a primary lesion. We describe a 39-year-old woman who presented with a 1-year history of nasal obstruction. Results of her physical examination and imaging studies demonstrated a nasoseptal mass. We also discuss the histologic and radiographic characteristics of the chondroid chordoma and compare it with other tumors that arise in the nasoseptal area to highlight the different prognoses and approaches to management.     

咽后脓肿临床诊治分析

目的探讨咽后脓肿的临床表现及治疗方法。方法对31例咽后脓肿的临床资料进行回顾分析。18例（58.1%）继发于咽异物损伤,7例（22.6%）继发于急性化脓性扁桃体炎及喉炎,4例（12.9%）继发于上呼吸道感染,2例（6.5%）原因不明。全部病例行颈部X线平片检查,表现为咽后肿胀型7例,液平型13例,液气型11例。其中9例发现喉咽异物残留。27例经口行咽后脓肿切开＋置管引流,4例保守治疗。结果 28例治愈,3例并发纵膈脓肿及肺脓肿感染性休克死亡。结论咽异物损伤是咽后脓肿的主要诱因。颈部X线片分型对诊断及治疗预后有重要价值。经口咽后脓肿切开＋置管引流是一有效治疗方法。应重视对严重并发症的早期认识及处理。