Background. Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is an aggressive, uncommon histologic entity arising in bone and soft tissues. We reviewed our institutional experience with this rare diagnosis. Methods. We conducted a retrospective chart review on patients with mesenchymal chondrosarcoma over a 24-year period. Clinicopathologic and radiographic features were reviewed. Results. Twelve patients were identified. Nine were females; median age was 14.5 years (1.2–19.7 years). The most common site was the head/neck (7/12). Disease was localized in 11/12 patients (one with lung nodules). Six with available tissue demonstrated NCOA2 rearrangement by FISH. Six underwent upfront surgical resection, and six received neoadjuvant therapy (2 chemotherapy alone and 4 chemotherapy and radiation). All patients received adjuvant chemotherapy (most commonly ifosfamide/doxorubicin) and/or radiation (median dose 59.4 Gy). At a median follow-up of 4.8 years, 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival were 68.2% (95% CI 39.8%, 96.6%) and 88.9% (95% CI 66.9%, 100%). Two patients had distant recurrences at 15 and 42 months, respectively. Conclusion. Aggressive surgical resection of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma with chemoradiotherapy yields excellent local control and may reduce likelihood of late recurrence. Characterization of downstream targets of the HEY1-NCOA2 fusion protein, xenograft models, and drug screening are needed to identify novel therapeutic strategies.

Using the ACS-NSQIP data set, this study found an increased risk of surgical complications in the setting of contaminated neck dissections. These data should be used for patient risk stratification, informed consent, and to guide further research.

Objective  To review the literature concerning the management of dental needles broken off into the deep spaces of the neck, to report what we believe is the first case of a fractured dental needle migrating into the jugular foramen, and the unconventional use of endovascular intervention to retrieve the needle fragment. Design  Case report with review of literature. Setting  Academic tertiary care center. Participants  Intervention was performed by the otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, vascular surgery, and neurovascular interventional radiology teams. Results  Transoral exploration, including palatal split and exposure of the poststyloid parapharyngeal space with C-arm image guidance, was unable to retrieve the broken needle, which traversed the internal carotid lumen with the distal end entering the jugular foramen. Through endovascular intervention, the neurovascular interventional radiology team captured the proximal end of the needle and retrieved it through the femoral artery. The patient recovered uneventfully. Conclusion  Fracture and loss of oral injection needles remain a persistent and preventable problem. This case demonstrates a novel, minimally invasive, well-tolerated, and successful method to extract a fractured needle that migrated into the lumen of the internal carotid artery at the level of the skull base.

The consequences of intracranial spread of sinus infection can be dismal. The subtle presentation of sphenoid sinusitis often leads to a delay in diagnosis. The disease may go unrecognized until complications are severe enough to cause more localizing symptoms. Often infections in the head and neck spread into the cranial cavity, leading to a localized effect. For example, otogenic infections can spread to the mastoid or lateral venous sinus. We report a case of sphenoid sinusitis complicated by lateral and sigmoid venous sinus thrombosis.

While neck dissection is an important primary and adjunctive procedure in the treatment of head and neck cancer, there is a paucity of studies evaluating outcomes. A retrospective review of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was performed to identify factors associated with adverse events (AEs) in patients undergoing neck dissection. A total of 619 patients were identified, using CPT codes specific to neck dissection. Of the 619 patients undergoing neck dissection, 142 (22.9%) experienced an AE within 30 days of the surgical procedure. Risk factors on multivariate regression analysis associated with increased AEs included dyspnea (odds ratio [OR] 2.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06 to 6.22; p = 0.037), previous cardiac surgery (OR 3.38; 95% CI 1.08 to 10.52; p = 0.036), increasing anesthesia time (OR 1.005; 95% CI 1 to 1.009; p = 0.036), and increasing total work relative value units (OR 1.09; CI 1.04 to 1.13; p < 0.001). The current study is the largest, most robust analysis to identify specific risk factors associated with AEs after neck dissection. This information will assist with preoperative optimization, patient counseling, and appropriate risk stratification, and it can serve as benchmarking for institutions comparing surgical outcomes.