Heloisa Nardi Koerner

Assimetria de tonsilas palatinas: experiência de 10 anos do serviço de otorrinolaringologia do hospital de clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná

INTRODUCTION: A few patients with asymmetric palatine tonsils have lymphoma; but most lymphomas in palatine tonsils evolve with tonsillar asymmetry. OBJECTIVE: To report the profile of patients and histopathological changes in patients submitted to adenotonsillectomy/tonsillectomy with disproportional palatine tonsils. METHOD: Retrospective study based on data analysis from the Pathologic Anatomy Service Database and in the review of reports of patients submitted to adenotonsillectomy and tonsillectomy with palatine tonsils asymmetry during the period from October 1999 through October 2009 at the Clinical Hospital (HC) of the Federal University of Parana (UFPR). RESULTS: 50 patients took part, aged between 3 to 53 years old, mean age of 14.05 years. The anatomopathological exam confirmed 48 patients (96%) with lymphoid hyperplasia and 2 cases of lymphoma (4%). These included men aged from 40 to 53 yeas with complaint of unilateral increase of the tonsil, one of whom had other symptoms (asthenia and weight loss). Upon physical examination: tonsils disproportion without involvement of other organs or lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: Our study is according to the literature as regards the fact the lymphomas are more common in men, the patient is the first one to notice the increase in volume and the asymmetry is larger than 2 degrees between palatine tonsils in cases of lymphoma. Although it is rare, even in the presence of differences, there are chances for the asymmetry to evolve to a malignant profile. The need for anatomopathological evaluation of a part must be considered along with other clinical data that suggests a malignant profile.

Achados otoneurológicos em pacientes com diagnóstico de alça vascular de VIII par craniano na ressonância magnética

INTRODUCTION: The vascular compression by redundant vessels under the VIII cranial nerves has been studied since the 80s, and many authors proposed correlations between the compression and the otoneurological findings (vertigo, tinnitus, hypoacusis, audiometry and electrophysiological findings). OBJECTIVE: Analyze and correlate the different signs and otoneurological symptoms, the audiological findings and its incidence over individuals with Vascular Loop (VL) diagnosis of VIII cranial nerves by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHOD: Retrospective study through the analysis of medical records of 47 patients attended in the otoneurology clinic of Clinical Hospital of UFPR. All the patients have MRI exams with compatible pictures of VL of the VIII cranial nerves. RESULTS: The tinnitus was the most frequent symptom, in 83% of the patients, followed by hypoacusis (60%) and vertigo (36%). The audiometry presented alterations in 89%, the brainstem evoked auditory potential in 33% and the vecto-electronystagmography in 17% of the patients. Was not found statistically significant relation between the buzz or hypoacusis, and the presence of VL in MRI. Only 36% of patients had complaints of vertigo, the main symptom described in theory of vascular compression of the VIII pair of nerve. As in the audiometry and in brainstem evoked auditory potential was not found a statistically significant relation between the exam and the presence of the VL in the RMI. CONCLUSION: The results show independence between the findings of the RMI, clinical picture and audiological results (p>0,05) suggesting that there are no exclusive and direct relation between the diagnosis of vascular loop in the MRI and the clinical picture matching.

Spasmodic Dysphonia: Description of the Disease and Associated Neurologic Disorders

Introduction: Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a problem that affects speech and vocalization, one of the most devastating disorders of oral communication. It is characterized by vocal quality tensaestrangulada, harshly and / or interspersed with abrupt vocal attack and a great tension in the vocal tract. The etiology of spasmodic dysphonia is unclear. Some authors point to psychogenic causes, neurological or even unknown. Objective: To assess the prevalence of muscular dystonias and other neurological symptoms in patients with ED. Method: A retrospective study of 10 cases with diagnosis of ED for symptoms and neurological disorders associated. Results: There was a significant predominance of the disease in females (9:1). The average age of onset of symptoms was 32 years, ranging between 14 and 60 years. The mean disease duration was 10 years. Among the patients, 87.5% had a diagnosis of disorders of movement made by a neurologist, including orofacial dystonias (50%), essential tremor (50%) and spastic paraparesis (12%). Conclusion: The presence of movement disorders followed almost all cases of spasmodic dysphonia. More studies are needed to clarify the pathophysiological basis of disease.