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BACKGROUND: Solitary fibrous tumor is a rare tumor that usually occurs in the pleura. It is a tumor of a mesothelial or mesenchymal cell origin. This tumor occasionally has been reported in extrapleural sites including head and neck regions. Clinically, the extrapleural lesions may be present with symptoms related to the tumor site. CLINICAL CASE: A 51-year-old female patient with progressive unilateral left-sided nasal obstruction and rhinorrhea. Nasal endoscopy and imaging exams revealed a vascular mass filling the entire left nasal cavity extending up to the nasopharynx. The tumor had marked enhancement after the administration of contrast material. Biopsy specimen examination reported solitary fibrous tumor. Immuno-histochemical analyses confirmed the diagnosis. The patient was undergone preoperative embolization with posterior tumoral excision by transpalatal approach. CONCLUSIONS: Solitary fibrous tumor of nasal cavity is a very rare illness, which is difficult to differentiate with other diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess protein expression of α7 and α4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) subtypes in squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive track (out of the larynx) according to tobacco smoke exposure, considering the general characteristics of the patients., Methods: The α7 and α4 nAChR subtypes were assessed by immunohistochemistry in tumor samples from 33 patients with novel diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract (out of the larynx)., Results: Current smokers were middle-age men with alcohol consumption, whereas elderly women with no alcohol consumption prevailed among nonsmokers. Expression of α4 nAChR was high in all groups, with an influence of alcohol use, although expression of α7 nAChR was low in current smokers with alcohol use. Expression of α4 with no expression of α7 nAChR was associated with advanced disease., Conclusions: Squamous cell carcinoma tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract (out of the larynx) may show desensitization of α4 nAChR. Advanced disease at diagnosis might be associated with desensitization of α4 with decrease in α7 nAChR., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interests:The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

OBJECTIVE. In children aged less than 10 years, to assess whether adenotonsillectomy has some permanent or transitory effect on middle ear pressure. MATERIAL AND METHODS. 20 children aged 4 to 9 years old (13 girls and 7 boys) participated in the study. The day before surgery and on days 1, 7, 14 and 21 after adenotonsillectomy both tympanometry and pure tone audiometry were performed. During surgery, medication consisted in dexamethasone, atropine, propofol and sevoflurane. RESULTS. Before surgery, the middle ear pressure was within the range of 0 ± 99 daPa. On day 1 of the followup study, the average right and left middle ear pressure decreased less than -99 daPa in 6 patients aged 4 to 9 years old (2 girls and 4 boys), with a body mass index from 11.9 to 16.6. At day 7 of follow-up, the middle ear pressure increased and none of the patients showed a pressure less than -99 daPa. Before surgery and during the 21 days of follow-up, hearing thresholds were always ≤ 20 dB nHL. No significant difference was observed between children with or without an average middle ear pressure lower than -99 daPa on their age, weight, height, body mass index or duration of the surgery. CONCLUSIONS. After adenotonsillectomy, children aged 4 to 9 years old who received dexamethasone, atropine and sevoflurane might develop negative middle ear pressure with no hearing loss, which may resolve in 1 week. After adenotonsillectomy, in patients with otalgia or risk factors for middle ear disease, closer evaluation of middle ear pressure may be advisable.