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Author(s): Hélène Nougué [sup.1], Anne-Laure Le Maho [sup.1], Mourad Boudiaf [sup.2], Jean-Philippe Blancal [sup.3], Etienne Gayat [sup.1], Mathieu Le Dorze [sup.1], Fabrice Vallée [sup.1], Benjamin Verillaud [sup.3], Joaquim Mateo [sup.1], [...], Purpose Cervical necrotizing fasciitis (CNF) is a severe and debilitating disease that requires intensive care unit (ICU) management and prompt surgical treatment to reduce morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and factors associated with severe complications of CNF. Methods We reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients hospitalized in an ICU from 2007 to 2012. The data were collected retrospectively; initial cervical and thoracic computed tomography (CT) scans, performed on admission, were reviewed by an experienced and blinded radiologist to determine CNF complications. Results A cohort of 160 patients admitted for CNF was included. The following complications of CNF were found: bilateral extension of CNF (28 %), internal jugular vein thrombosis (21 %), descending necrotic effusion (14 %), mediastinitis (24 %), and mortality (4 %); 53 % had at least one complication, and 48 % had at least one cervical complication. On the basis of a univariate analysis, the significant independent factors are odynophagia, dyspnea, oral glucocorticoids intake before admission, and pharyngeal source. Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug intake before admission does not have any impact. The initial CNF complications increased both the duration of mechanical ventilation and the length of stay in the ICU. On the basis of a multivariate analysis, the independent factors for severe complications are pharyngeal CNF and oral glucocorticoid intake before admission. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that an initial cervico-thoracic CT scan revealed a high incidence of cervical and mediastinal CNF complications that all needed immediate management. Those severe complications might be avoidable as they were associated, at least partially, with prehospital oral glucocorticoid intake.

Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycoses constitute a severe fungal infection. These infections mostly arise in immunosuppressed patients. The surgery aiming at resecting necrosed hurts showed its interest in term of survival for lung and cutaneous mucormycosis. However, treatment of rhino-orbito-cerebral location of mucormycosis is not well defined. Transnasal endoscopic surgery allows local control of the disease, better post-operative outcomes than transfacial approaches and less sequelae. However, transfacial approaches are sometimes necessary to allow cutaneous resection or exenteration, the indications of which still remain controversial. The retrospective study of 22 patients with mucormycosis allowed to show that radical surgical treatment allowed local control of the disease with an improved survival. Further prospective studies (PHRC MICCA, current) are required to standardize the management of this rare but potentially lethal pathology., (© 2013 médecine/sciences – Inserm / SRMS.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to review recent management of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) in our institution during the past 10 years and to analyze the shift in surgical paradigm based on the rate of endoscopic approach and Radkowski staging., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: The study was conducted from April 2000 to August 2010 in a tertiary care university hospital (Lariboisière, Paris, France)., Subjects and Methods: All patients referred for a JNA were included in the study. Medical files and imaging data were retrospectively analyzed. Surgical management was then evaluated for 2 different periods (group 1, n = 31, consecutive patients operated on from April 2000 to June 2005, and group 2, n = 41, from July 2005 to August 2010)., Results: Seventy-two patients were operated on, with a mean age of 16.25 years (range, 9-33 years). The rate of the endoscopic approach was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (82.9% vs 45%). Rates of recurrence and complications were similar. Recurrences (ie, residual disease growing and treated by redo) were noted in 6 cases or 8.3% (group 1, n = 3; group 2, n = 3; P > .05)., Conclusion: Progress in skull base anatomy, instrumentation, cameras, and surgical strategy allows for expansion of the indications for endoscopic removal of JNA. This approach may have a better outcome in terms of blood loss, hospital stay, and local sequelae. Still, an external approach should be considered only for selected cases due to massive intracranial extension or optic nerve or internal carotid artery entrapment by the tumor.

Cervical fasciitis is one of the most severe ENT emergencies, requiring immediate management by a multidisciplinary team. Often due to a benign pharyngeal or dental infection, this life-threatening condition leads to extensive necrosis spreading along the fascia of the neck, possibly to the mediastinum. A retrospective analysis of 150 consecutive patients admitted to our institution between January 2001 and December 2006 showed:--a 7% mortality rate;--pulmonary involvement in one-third of cases and hemodynamic failure or mediastinitis in half the patients;--mechanical ventilation for an average of 10 days, intubation for 13 days, tracheostomy for 31 days, intensive care unit management for 17 days, and hospitalization for 26 days; and--functional and esthetic sequelae in about half the patients. These data underscore the extreme severity of cervicofacial fasciitis and the need to pay close attention to any general or functional signs of severe sepsis in patients with apparently mild head or neck infections. Such patients should be urgently referred to a tertiary center for immediate CT scan and surgical drainage of any cervical or thoracic abscesses. Intensive medical care is needed to manage the frequent cardio-hemodynamic failure and secondary pulmonary/mediastinal infections. The only possible predisposing factors so far identified are inadequate initial medical treatment and self-medication with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.