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Malignant change of pleomorphic adenoma

Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common salivary gland tumour. The potential to undergo malignant transformation is rare but well described. The authors of this article present a case report of metastasis where the preceding submandibular gland pleomorphic adenoma preserves its...

Finding the elusive parathyroid glands

While reading in the literature about new advances in knowledge and surgical techniques, it is often easy to lose track of the longstanding knowledge that we all acquired during our training. This is why this article on the anatomy and...

Bones, stones and surgical moans: rethinking PTH dynamics in parathyroid surgery

Intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) testing has revolutionised minimally invasive unilateral parathyroidectomy (MIP) as the gold standard treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism, replacing old-timey four-gland exploration. IOPTH testing ensures reliable excision of all hypersecreting glands, including those pesky hard-to-find ones, without relying...

Neck dissection in adenoid cystic carcinoma is a risk worth taking?

This paper from Stanford University presents impressive figures to guide the debate on the extent of surgical management in adenoid cystic disease. Adenoid cystic carcinomas present a particular problem in that they can recur even after 20 years. They have...

Fluorescein use during parotidectomy

The authors of this study retrospectively reviewed the surgical charts of seven patients who underwent parotidectomy for tumour resection. In all these patients, Fluorescein sodium was used to enhance the contrast between parotid tumour tissue and the facial nerve. Using...

Thyroidectomy - a pictorial walk through the surgical steps

We as ENT surgeons work closely with the endocrinologist to provide MDT care for patients with a variety of pathologic conditions of the thyroid gland, including benign, malignant and hormonal disease processes. Surgery plays a central role for a variety...

Postauricular advancement flap for partial helix defect repair

Ear defects can be the result of trauma, burns or ablative surgery. The three dimensional structure of the pinna presents a difficult reconstructive challenge as successful ear reconstruction requires both similar tissue cover and a supporting framework. Partial ear reconstruction...