Paul J. Donald

Malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck

Fortunately, primary malignant mucosal melanoma of the head and neck is a rare entity. A paucity of data elucidating the predictive factors as well as the unpredictable and aggressive biologic behavior of mucosal melanoma compound the vexing clinical situation. This review summarizes what the literature reveals about the epidemiology, patient survival, patterns of local recurrence, and local and distant metastasis of the disease. Over 1000 patients with this disease have been reported. Survivals at 5 and 10 years is 17% and 5%, respectively. Approximately 19% of patients present with lymph node metastasis and another 16% develop lymph node metastases after treatment, whereas 10% present with distant metastasis. Local metastasis does not affect survival; this is in sharp contrast with skin melanoma. Over 50% of patients experience local treatment failure, and salvage treatment is effective in only 25% of these cases. Local failure is the harbinger of distant metastases. Patients with nasal mucosal melanoma have a 31% 5‐year survival rate, whereas sinus melanoma patients fare poorly, with a 0% rate of 5‐year survival.

COMPLICATIONS OF CRANIOFACIAL RESECTION FOR MALIGNANT TUMORS OF THE SKULL BASE: REPORT OF AN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE STUDY

Advances in imaging, surgical technique, and perioperative care have made craniofacial resection (CFR) an effective and safe option for treating malignant tumors involving the skull base. The procedure does, however, have complications. Because of the relative rarity of these tumors, most existing data on postoperative complications come from individual reports of relatively small series of patients. This international collaborative report examines a large cohort of patients accumulated from multiple institutions with the aim of identifying patient‐related and tumor‐related predictors of postoperative morbidity and mortality and set a benchmark for future studies.

Craniofacial resection for malignant paranasal sinus tumors: Report of an international collaborative study

Malignant tumors of the superior sinonasal vault are rare, and, because of this and the varied histologic findings, most outcomes data reflect the experience of small patient cohorts. This International Collaborative study examines a large cohort of patients accumulated from multiple institutions experienced in craniofacial surgery, with the aim of reporting benchmark figures for outcomes and identifying patient‐related and tumor‐related predictors of prognosis after craniofacial resection (CFR).

Frontal sinus fractures: a review of 72 cases.

A retrospective review is presented of 72 patients who sustained frontal sinus fractures (FSF) and were subsequently treated by the department of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery between the years of 1974 and 1986.

Compound frontal sinus injuries with intracranial penetration.

Extensive trauma to the forehead, resulting in large penetrating wounds of the frontal sinus that extend into the frontal lobes of the brain, has traditionally been treated by frontal sinus ablation. Although this operation eliminates dead space, it leaves the patient with a depressed area in the forehead with little protection for the brain.

Petrous Apicitis Clinical Considerations

Although petrous apicitis was a frequent occurrence in the first half of this century, it has become an uncommon disease because of the widespread use of antibiotics for otitis media. In this series of eight cases of petrous apicitis it is evident that petrositis cannot be equated with Gradenigos triad (otitis, abducens paralysis, and deep pain) since none of the cases manifested with the classical syndrome. Abducens paralysis was seen in only two of the eight cases. Deep facial or ear pain was present in four of the eight cases and appeared to be the most useful symptom in the diagnosis of petrositis. Four of the eight cases were discovered only after previous, unsuccessful surgical procedures. Chronic petrous apicitis may be occult and manifest only after failure to control suppuration by conventional tympanomastoid surgery. When petrositis is suspected, conventional x-ray study may show bone erosion and asymmetric clouding of the petrous tip. Computed tomographic scanning was most useful in the delineation of bone destruction and opacification of the apex. When the diagnosis of petrous apicitis is made, aggressive surgical drainage is indicated.

Marijuana Smoking—Possible Cause of Head and Neck Carcinoma in Young Patients:

Six cases of advanced head and neck cancer in young patients, who were regular marijuana users, are presented. Numerous carcinogens, as well as respiratory irritants, are found in marijuana smoke. The active euphoria-producing agent, Δ-9 tetrahydrocanabinol, has been implicated in altered DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis and consequent chromosomal aberrations.

Complications in skull base surgery for malignancy.

Objectives: To review a consecutive series of skull base surgeries, establish the rate of complications, and outline their prevention and management.

The safety of frontal sinus fat obliteration when sinus walls are missing

The dilemma of the management of a severely fractured frontal sinus when portions of the walls are missing presents a number of therapeutic options. The safety of placing a fat graft in such a sinus for obliteration when the graft will be required to obtain its nourishment from the scant vessels contained within the subcutaneous tissue or dura, or worse still, from a dural or bone graft is questioned. Clinical experience has suggested that such a procedure may not be safe. An experiment was performed in nine cats in which all of either the anterior or posterior frontal sinus wall was removed in eight sinuses, and 50% of either wall in the remaining ten. A standard asteoplastic flap and fat obliteration technique was then done.

Neural cell adhesion molecule in adenoid cystic carcinoma invading the skull base

Neural cell adhesion molecules (N-CAMs) are expressed in neuromuscular tissues, neuroblastoma, and small cell lung carcinoma. Adenoid cystic carcinoma may invade the skull by either direct extension or neural involvement, particularly along the second and third divisions of the trigeminal nerve (V2 and V3). Eighteen patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma that invaded the skull base were studied. The tumors were graded into predominantly solid (3), cribriform (11), or tubular-trabecular (4) patterns, and neural involvement was evaluated histologically. Paraffin sections were examined by use of monoclonal antibodies for N-CAM and Ki-67, a proliferation marker, with the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method. Fifteen (83%) tumors showed perineural involvement; in the remaining three cases no nerves were present for histologic examination. Fourteen (93%) of 15 tumors with perineural involvement were reactive with N-CAM. Proliferation, measured by the presence of nuclear Ki-67, was markedly increased in tumors with predominantly solid patterns. We demonstrated that N-CAM is expressed in adenoid cystic carcinoma. The role of N-CAM as a neurodeterminant that facilitates the spread of adenoid cystic carcinoma along nerves, however, remains unanswered and warrants further study.