Abdullah Belada

Giant Myoepithelioma of the Soft Palate

Myoepitheliomas are benign salivary gland tumors and account for less than 1% of all salivary gland tumors. They are usually located in the parotid gland. The soft palate is very rare affected site. The differential diagnosis of myoepitheliomas should include reactive and neoplastic lesions. The treatment of myoepitheliomas is complete removal of the tumor. Herein, we report a case with giant myoepithelioma of the soft palate, reviewing the related literature.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome in Patients with Nasal Septum Deviation

Abstract Objectives: Some studies conducted with patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome [OSAS] have suggested an association between sleep-disordered breathing [SDB] and fibromyalgia syndrome [FMS]. Nasal septum deviation [NSD] is a common physical disorder of the nose and it manifests itself with similar complaints, like respiratory distress and headache, as in patients with OSAS. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of FMS in patients with NSD. Methods: Consecutive patients, 18 to 60 years old, evaluated in an academic otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinic were prospectively recruited for this study. Patients with nasal septal deviation were included in the nasal septum deviation group. Patients without nasal symptom deviation were recruited to serve as controls. All recruited cases were assessed by a single physiatrist for FMS. The FMS diagnosis was made on the basis of the 1990 American College of Rheumatology Research Classification Criteria. Results: One hundred ninety-nine consecutive patients, 18 to 60 years old, were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups as those with nasal symptom deviation [n = 115] and those without nasal symptom deviation [control group, n = 84]. Fibromyalgia syndrome was diagnosed in six NSD patients [5.2%] and in four [4.8%] control patients. No differences were noted in the prevalence of FMS between the two groups [p = 0.578]. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated a normal prevalence of FMS among patients with NSD. Although some studies suggest a relation between sleep disordered breathing and FMS, we could not find any relationship between NSD and FMS. This result may be associated with the fact that patients with OSAS and morbid obesity were excluded from our study. Future studies are warranted to clarify the association between obstructive sleep-disordered breathing and FMS.

CT and MR Imaging Characteristics of Intravestibular and Cerebellopontine Angle Lipoma.

Intracranial lipoma is an uncommon entity. A rare type of tumor in the internal auditory canal (IAC) and the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) is lipoma. There are a few case reports in the literature related to intravestibular lipoma. Herein, we report a case of lipomas within the cerebellopontine angle and vestibule of the inner ear in a patient with tinnitus and dizziness. The patient was evaluated with a 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. MRI and CT showed the masses in the left CPA and the left IAC. These lesions were hyperintense on both T1- and T2 weighted images and showed no enhancement after gadolinium administration. Conservative management was suggested. Histopathological diagnosis is rarely necessary with the widespread use of magnetic resonance imaging. Considering significant morbidity during resection, conservative follow-up is the best approach for CPA and IAC lipoma.