Epiglottitis in the adult can be fatal and should be treated with the same degree of concern and suspicion in respect of airway patency as in children. We present three cases of adult epiglottitis in which the airway was lost prior to or during the intervention of an anaesthetist. We suggest that an emphasis on conservative management is distracting and belies the serious nature of this disease.

The first case of traumatic myositis ossificans (TMO) involving a strap muscle of the neck is reported. TMO typically presents with an unresolved mass following trauma or surgery, requiring differentiation from other soft tissue and bone neoplasms. Opacification may be present on soft tissue X-rays. Computed tomography (CT) scan may demonstrate a characteristic zoning phenomenon to establish the diagnosis. The disorder is frequently self-limiting but surgery may be required for persistent symptoms.

A 12 year old girl presented to the ear, nose, and throat department with a history of foreign bodies in both nostrils. The young girl had attempted to wear magnetic earrings as nose rings. Unfortunately both magnets became polarised and attracted across the septum (see fig 1).We present a simple and easy solution for removal under local anaesthesia with a mixture of lignocaine and phenylephrine in an accident and emergency setting. It is possible to polarise a wax hook, which has magnetic properties, by rubbing it with another instrument (wax hook or Jobson horn). One of the magnets was then attracted away from the septum by the polarised wax hook, thus releasing the magnetic attraction of the opposing magnet.They were successfully removed without any significant trauma to the septum. The underlying mucosa, however, was indurated due to local pressure. The most common complication of foreign bodies is septal perforation, thus identification and removal of the oVending foreign body is paramount to its prevention.Complete open dislocation of the talus Elisha Krasin, Michal Goldwirth, Itzhak Otremski A 64 year old man fell from a ladder directly onto his right foot. Physical examination disclosed a wound on the lateral aspect of the ankle and the midfoot. The talus was completely dislocated and loosely connected to some soft tissue. There were no other apparent injuries except a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metatarsal head. After radiography of the

This paper describes a clinical situation where it was impossible to obtain a biopsy of a lesion at the anterior commissure in a patient with progressive hoarseness of voice using standard microlaryngoscopy techniques. Due to anatomical difficulties and a histological suggestion of laryngeal papillomatosis the incisor teeth were deliberately removed to allow an adequate view of the larynx and to facilitate further access.

We present the first documented case of Kearns-Sayre syndrome presenting with a vocal fold palsy.