Two cases of tuberculous otitis media, both presenting with otorrhoea and facial paralysis, are reported. The difficulties of diagnosing this rare condition are highlighted, and a brief review of its clinical features from other series is presented.
North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, UK 3 Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, UK aBSTRacT INTRODUCTION Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a safe and quick method of diagnosing superficial lumps, which aids preoperative planning. However, FNA of the parotid gland has not gained the widespread acceptance noted in other head and neck lumps. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of FNA of the parotid gland to differentiate benign and malignant disease, and to determine the impact on surgical outcome. METHODS A retrospective analysis of 201 consecutive parotid operations with preoperative FNA in a large district hospital in the UK was performed. The diagnostic characteristics were calculated for benign and malignant disease, and the impact on surgical procedure was determined. RESULTS In identifying benign disease, FNA has a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 76%. In detecting malignant disease, FNA has a sensitivity and specificity of 52% and 92% respectively. A false positive on FNA was associated with a higher incidence of neck dissection. CONCLUSIONS FNA is a useful diagnostic test. However, owing to low sensitivity, it is necessary to interpret it in the context of all other clinical information.
This case report highlights the challenges of obtaining a clinical diagnosis of tuberculous otitis media, and emphasises the fact that screening for acid-fast bacilli is not sufficient, in isolation, to rule out mycobacterial infection.
AbstarctWe describe a case of palato-pharyngo-laryngeal myoclonus, an unusual variant of palatal myoclonus, which presented with dysphagia and dysarthna. The aetiology and presenting features of myoclonus are discussed. Various treatment options are considered.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.