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An isolated polyp arising from the sphenoid sinus is rare. Due to the presence of important structures adjacent to the sphenoid sinus, a proper pre-operative radiological and nasal endoscopic evaluation is mandatory, along with a neurological and ophthalmological assessment. We report the case of a 23-year-old man with a sphenochoanal polyp with heterotopic glial tissue in the stroma. A Medline search did not reveal any previously reported cases of glial tissue in the sphenoid sinus presenting as a sphenochoanal polyp.

Renal cell carcinoma is a slow growing malignancy of the kidney that has a high propensity for metastasis. It is the most common metastasis reported in the paranasal sinuses. A fifty six year old male patient, an operated case of left renal cell carcinoma presented seven years later with epistaxis. Computerized tomography of the paranasal sinuses and of the abdomen showed a metastatic lesion involving the left nasosinus region and a lesion involving the right kidney with lung metastasis, respectively. Due to the poor prognosis palliative radiotherapy was given.

Introduction:Maintaining the patency of the nasal vestibule following recanalisation of a modified Young's procedure can be a difficult task, as restenosis is quite common.Materials and methods:Sixteen patients underwent recanalisation of a modified Young's procedure, between January 2005 and December 2007, in the ENT – head and neck surgery department of a tertiary centre. Three different stent types were used following recanalisation: silicone suction tube tips, dental wax plate stents and customised acrylic stents.Results:The silicone suction tube stents prevented restenosis. They were visible in the post-operative period, and there appeared to be some blunting of the nasal valve region, with no functional impairment. Dental wax plates had a high rate of restenosis and were uncomfortable and unsightly. The customised acrylic stents were more acceptable in the post-operative period, and enabled nasal valve angulation to be maintained.Conclusion:The customised acrylic stent described was a superior alternative to such stenting methods as repeated packing, silicone suction tubes and dental wax plates, following recanalisation of a modified Young's procedure.

Cricopharyngeal dysfunction is defined as the delayed or incomplete relaxation of the cricopharyngeal muscle during swallowing. This may cause dysphagia and aspiration, affecting the quality of life. For this condition, injection of botulinum toxin into the cricopharyngeus, dilatation of cricopharynx with bougies and external cricopharyngeal myotomy have been the treatment of choice with varying results. We present in this paper the treatment of this clinical condition by KTP 532 laser a recent advance in the field of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. Very few series have been reported in literature so far regarding the use of laser for cricopharyngeal myotomy. This is perhaps the first series of eight cases of KTP laser assisted microendoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy and web excision reporting the benefit of this treatment by an Indian author in an Indian Journal. KTP laser assisted cricopharyngeal myotomy avoids an external scar; aids precise incision at the cricopharynx by direct visualization, brings optimum results in deglutition and reduces postoperative morbidity and complications. The short hospital stay reduces the overall cost. The use of KTP 532 laser in the treatment of selected cases with cricopharyngeal dysfunction is therefore safe and effective.

A few series of parapharyngeal space tumours have been reported earlier but recently not many series have been published in English literature. It is rare for any medical center, let alone an individual surgeon, to develop sufficient experience in evaluating these tumours. We present our experience in the treatment of 41 cases of parapharyngeal tumours from January 1992 to December 2001. FNAC, ultrasound and CT scan of the presenting mass was done in most of the patients as the main pre-operative work-up. The strategic location and extension of the tumour may occasionally alter the surgical approach for tumour excision.

Laryngeal cysts are a mixed group of benign lesions that have been classified as per their site of origin and histopathology. We report a case of an interarytenoid cyst in a 56 year old male with hyperparathyroidism. The cyst was resected under an operating microscope using KTP532 laser. It was reported on histopathology as an oncocytic variant of a ductal retention cyst.