Neurogenic neoplasms of the intraparotid facial nerve are uncommon and are usually diagnosed intraoperatively by tissue biopsy. Fifty-six cases of primary neurogenic neoplasms involving the facial nerve have been reported. The majority of these have been schwannomas. A case of a solitary neurofibroma involving the main trunk of the facial nerve is presented. Schwannomas and neurofibromas have distinct histological features which must be considered prior to the management of these tumors. The management of neurogenic tumors associated with normal facial function is a particularly difficult problem. A new approach for the diagnosis and management of neurogenic neoplasms is described utilizing electroneurography.

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) is an uncommon congenital disorder characterized by multiple fixed joint deformities and non-progressive neuromuscular dysfunction. A small fraction of these infants will present with otolaryngologic problems resulting from cranial nerve weakness, muscle dysplasia, or structural dysharmony of the head and neck. The charts of 50 patients with AMC were reviewed to determine the incidence of these findings. A summary of the literature is presented discussing the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of this interesting clinical problem.

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The acute and long-term effects of the anterior cricoid split on the subglottis of puppies intubated from 7 to 14 days are documented. The anterior cricoid split acutely increased the intralumenal cricoid surface area in puppies with intubation-induced airway injury. An intense inflammatory response with mucosal ulceration and granulation tissue is elicited by 14 days of intubation by using the canine model of induced subglottic stenosis developed by Supance et al. [19]. When animals intubated for 14 days underwent an anterior cricoid split on day 7, the airway appears essentially normal by day 14. The split cricoid cartilage maintained a 'U' configuration following the procedure. The region of deficient cartilage anteriorly is bridged by fibrous tissue with normal epithelium lining the lumenal surface. Splitting the cricoid cartilage anteriorly increased the intralumenal area and no long term complications resulted from the procedure. The mechanisms by which the anterior cricoid split expands the airway intralumenal area while maintaining airway support have been reviewed.