MR imaging is comparable to CT for the detection of necrosis. The sensitivity of MR imaging and CT is better than that of US.

No abstract

P Pu ur rp po os se e: : To report a case of complete upper airway obstruction after topicalization with lidocaine in a completely conscious patient with partial upper airway obstruction.C Cl li in ni ic ca al l f fe ea at tu ur re es s: : A 69-yr-old man with a history of neck cancer and radiation presented for resection of recurrent neck tumour. No preoperative sedation was given. He had inspiratory and expiratory stridor but had no history of aspiration or swallowing problem. Phonation was distorted but effective. The surgeon was reluctant to perform an awake tracheostomy under local anesthesia. In preparation for a fibrescope-assisted orotracheal intubation, the non-sedated patient was given topical upper airway lidocaine during which he developed total airway obstruction and hypoxemia. He was immediately intubated with a fibrescope. His vocal cords were not edematous although the supraglottic structures appeared to be. The vocal cords were abducted and their movement was limited and not paradoxical. Tumour resection was uneventful upon successful tracheal intubation and general anesthesia. Tracheostomy at the end of the case was difficult, as expected. The patient tolerated the procedures and regained consciousness with no neurologic sequelae.

High recurrent T stage, skull base involvement, repeated recurrence before surgery, nodal metastasis, and positive surgical margins carry a poor prognosis. This is particularly evident with high T stage and concurrent nodal metastasis. However, patients with low T stage have a survival advantage and benefit most from surgical treatment.