Inverted papilloma is a benign sinonasal tumor which is locally aggressive and has a significant malignant potential. This report updates the experience of the two senior authors, who have treated 112 patients with inverted papilloma at the Mount Sinai Medical Center over a 20-year period. As clinical examination often underestimates tumor extent, preoperative radiographic assessment is of paramount importance in guiding selection of surgical therapy. Complete en bloc excision via lateral rhinotomy and medial maxillectomy was the method of treatment in the majority of patients (84%). In selected patients with limited disease, or in patients who refused en bloc excision, conservative therapy employing intranasal or transantral ethmoidectomy was performed. The recurrence rates for the two groups were 14% and 20%, respectively. Recurrent disease developed throughout the paranasal sinuses, with the maxillary antrum and ethmoid labyrinth constituting the major sites. In two patients presenting with anterior skull base erosion, craniofacial resection was undertaken to eradicate disease. The latter cases underscore the aggressive nature of the tumor if left untreated. The overall rate of squamous carcinoma in this series was 5%. Given the predilection for local recurrence, multicentricity, and the possibility of malignancy, the authors continue to recommend lateral rhinotomy and medial maxillectomy as the standard therapy for the majority of cases. Management principles as well as a review of the literature are discussed.

Despite the widespread use of botulinum toxin to treat muscle dystonias, no method exists to quantify muscle paralysis in either human or nonhuman models. In this study we examined how the location, dose, and volume of botulinum injection affects paralysis in the rat tibialis anterior muscle. Paralysis was quantified by electrically stimulating the nerve to the tibialis anterior and then staining sections of the muscle for glycogen. The areas of glycogen-containing fibers represented regions of botulinum action. The results showed that the most important injection technique is to inject botulinum directly into the motor endplate region of a muscle. Injections only 0.5 cm from the motor endplate resulted in a 50% decrease in paralysis. Increases in dose increased paralysis, however, some of that increase was simply due to the increased volume of injection. Thus, delivering toxin in small volumes near the MEP band of a muscle should produce the most effective paralysis.

Botulinum toxin was recently approved for treating several head and neck dystonias. Paralysis of neighboring muscles is the major complication of its use. Spread of toxin from the injected muscle has been suggested as an etiology. This study examines how botulinum toxin crosses muscle fascia by a novel method of quantifying muscular paralysis. Botulinum toxin (0.2 to 10 U) was placed onto the fascia of rat tibialis anterior (TA) muscles (n = 6). Toxin was also placed on dose-matched muscles that had their fascia surgically removed (n = 6). Twenty-four hours later, the nerve to the tibialis anterior was electrically stimulated to deplete the muscle fibers of glycogen. Toxin-paralyzed fibers retained their glycogen and appeared purple on periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain. Botulinum toxin easily passed through muscle fascia even at subclinical doses. The presence of fascia reduced the spread of botulinum toxin by 23%. These results suggest that spread of botulinum toxin can be prevented only by delivering small doses to the center of a target muscle.

Microvascular free tissue transfers for head and neck reconstruction can be safely performed in the elderly. An age older than 70 years does not increase the rate of surgical complications following head and neck reconstruction with MFTT. Medical complications, however, are more common and are equally divided between bronchopulmonary and cardiovascular effects.

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