While olfactory dysfunction associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has attracted considerable interest, few studies have tracked outcomes at serial time points or beyond 2 weeks. Furthermore, data are conflicting regarding whether COVID-19 severity correlates with degree of olfactory dysfunction. This prospective case-control study analyzed prevalence and severity of subjective loss of smell in outpatients (n = 23) and inpatients (n = 20) with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection vs healthy controls (n = 25). Olfactory dysfunction was reported more commonly in COVID-19 patients than in healthy controls ( P < .001), and outpatients paradoxically reported loss of smell more commonly than inpatients ( P = .02). Headaches were present in 52% of patients with olfactory dysfunction. Anosmia or hyposmia persisted beyond 5 days but most of the patients recovered by 30 days, suggesting favorable prognosis for olfaction. Differences between inpatients and outpatients are potentially reflective of timeline of olfactory symptoms and contextual factors, underscoring the importance of corroborative objective testing, coupled with careful tracking of temporal relationships.

Bronchogenic cysts are rare congenital malformations of ventral foregut development. They are usually located in the mediastinum and intrapulmonary regions. Localization in the cervical area is unusual and the majority of cases reported have been found in the pediatric population: the literature reports few cases in adults. We describe a 57-year-old male who presented an asymptomatic right lateral neck mass. Diagnostic studies included chest X-ray, pharyngo-esophagus double-contrast X-ray, computed tomography (CT), and bronchoscopy. The mass was excised through a transverse right cervical skin incision. The right lateral neck mass of the patient was identified as a bronchogenic cyst. The embryology, the presentation, the pathological and radiological evaluation, treatment of the cyst and a review of the English literature are reported in this paper. Cervical bronchogenic cysts are usually diagnosed in the pediatric population; these lesions are rare in adults. We suggest that the clinical observation of an asymptomatic lateral neck mass in an adult should include the possibility of a bronchogenic cyst in the differential diagnosis. Surgical excision is the elective treatment for this tumor, in order to prevent complications including infection, compression symptoms, malignant transformation, and the rare but fatal air embolism.

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A brain abscess may result when dental infection reaches the brain through contiguous anatomic cavities such as the maxillary sinus, the ethmoid sinus and the orbital cavity. It is an important complication and should be treated aggressively. Such treatment would include the excision of the etiological factor, drainage and adjuvant antibiotic therapy. The present case concerns a 23 year old woman who presented at the General Hospital of Nova Iguaçu with complaints of pain in the right side of the face and was diagnosed with acute sinusitis. Antibiotics and analgesics were prescribed to treat the disease. However, after 10 days, she returned to the emergency room, presenting with proptosis of the right eyeball, subconjunctival haemorrhage, ophthalmoplegia and intense pain in the right orbit, in addition to headaches. After computed tomography was performed, she was diagnosed with a brain abscess in the frontal lobe with the involvement of the maxillary right first molar, the maxillary sinus, the ethmoid sinus and the orbital cavity. With culturing of the secretion, the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonies was evident. Treatment consisted of a craniotomy to drain the brain abscess, a Caldwell-Luc procedure to drain the right maxillary sinus, dental extraction and aggressive antibiotic therapy. After 6 weeks, the patient was discharged with no neurological sequelae.