No abstract available.

No abstract available.

Segmentally distributed cutaneous eruptions and neuralgia are common manifestations of herpes zoster. However, motor loss is another aspect of this manifestation, which is less well known and considered a rare finding. In many cases the loss of motor function may be easily overlooked because the pain is the more prominent feature and the weakness probably goes unrecognized with only a mild impairment of the motor function. We experienced a 71-year-old male patient with a herpes zoster-related motor paralysis of right arm whose clinical features of a weak limb mimicked other spinal motor diseases and confirmed motor involvement using electromyographic (EMG) and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) studies.
Aged ; Arm ; Extremities* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Male ; Neural Conduction ; Neuralgia ; Paralysis*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

Thyroid carcinoma is a slowly growing tumor and rarely invades adjacent tissues or organs. However, up to 21% of the patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancers show local invasion, and of those 10 to 15% of patients with papillary cancer who eventually die of the disease, active local disease has been the most common finding at the time of death. The common sites of local invasion are strap muscle, recurrent laryngeal nerve, laryngotracheal tree, esophagus, and great vessels in the lateral compartment and mediastinum. Uncontrolled local invasion to vital organs in the neck causes significant morbidity, affects the quality of life, and finally influences the survival. In cases with limited involvement of the larynx or trachea, the option of treatment includes limited shaving-off resection or radical resection followed by reconstructive procedures. When operation is planned, the level of acceptable morbidity and the achievement of therapeutic outcomes should be determined in advance. In cases with aggressive invasion to the adjacent tissues, radical resection is the treatment modality of choice with favorable prognosis. Postoperative adjuvant therapies have been the matter of controversy, however, there is a general consensus, especially for the high-risk patients, that radioiodine therapy and TSH suppression after radical resection are beneficial. The benefits of external radiation therapy in locally advanced thyroid cancers are unclear, however, it can be effective in patients with microscopic residual disease postoperatively. Radical eradication of locally advanced thyroid carcinoma followed by appropriate adjuvant therapy should be considered to be the treatment of choice in locally advanced thyroid cancers.
Consensus ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Larynx ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life ; Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Trachea

For the differential diagnosis of head and neck mass lesions, the age and presenting locations should be the primary considerations. The characteristic patterns of age- and sitepredilection allow a diagnostic work-up and treatment plans for the patients with head and neck mass lesions. In children and young adults, the underlying causes are; inflammatory, congenital and developmental, and neoplastic masses in decreasing frequency. By contrast, neoplastic diseases are most frequent in the elderly. Because of the characteristic lymphatic spread patterns of head and neck diseases, the location of the mass in the cervical lymphatic nodal chain may be the key for the identification and differential diagnosis of the primary disease site. Besides, the evaluation of specific historical and physical findings is mandatory for the accurate diagnosis. When the signs of inflammation are associated, conservative treatment and observation is first considered. On the other hand, for persistent or progressively enlarging masses and those with suspicious findings of malignancy, surgical intervention should be considered.
Aged ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hand ; Head ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Neck ; Young Adult

For the differential diagnosis of head and neck mass lesions, the age and presenting locations should be the primary considerations. The characteristic patterns of age- and sitepredilection allow a diagnostic work-up and treatment plans for the patients with head and neck mass lesions. In children and young adults, the underlying causes are; inflammatory, congenital and developmental, and neoplastic masses in decreasing frequency. By contrast, neoplastic diseases are most frequent in the elderly. Because of the characteristic lymphatic spread patterns of head and neck diseases, the location of the mass in the cervical lymphatic nodal chain may be the key for the identification and differential diagnosis of the primary disease site. Besides, the evaluation of specific historical and physical findings is mandatory for the accurate diagnosis. When the signs of inflammation are associated, conservative treatment and observation is first considered. On the other hand, for persistent or progressively enlarging masses and those with suspicious findings of malignancy, surgical intervention should be considered.
Aged ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hand ; Head ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Neck ; Young Adult

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most malignant human neoplasms and has a grave prognosis. This study gives an update on our experience with this unusual neoplasm, with specific focus on the response to various treatment modalities. Forty-seven patients with histologically proven ATCs were enrolled (19 men, 28 women; mean age, 62.8 years). This number represents 1.5% among a total of 3, 088 thyroid cancers treated between 1977 and 2002. The mean tumor diameter was 8.8 cm, and 22 patients had distant metastasis. Extrathyroidal extension was seen in 26 (89.7%) of the cases that underwent surgery. Treatment modalities adopted could be classified into 5 groups: Group 1, biopsy only; Group 2, biopsy and chemoradiotherapy; Group 3, debulking only; Goup 4, debulking and chemoradiotherapy; Group 5, complete excision and chemoradiotherapy. Survival was calculated from the time of diagnosis, and comparisons of survival were done by log-rank analysis. The mean survival was 4.3 months (range, 1.0-21 months). The mean survival based on treatment modalities were as follows: Group 1 (n = 10), 2.1 months, Group 2 (n = 8) ; 3.6 months; Group 3 (n = 7), 3.0 months; Group 4 (n = 14), 3.5 months, Group 5 (n = 8), 9.4 months. There was no significant difference in survival time between the various types of treatment modalities. Even though a small improvement in survival was observed with complete excision and aggressive multimodality therapy, nearly all ATCs remain unresponsive to ongoing treatment modalities and as such, present a therapeutic dilemma. A more effective treatment regimen should be sought in order to improve survival.
Treatment Outcome ; Thyroid Neoplasms/mortality/surgery/*therapy ; Survival Analysis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Carcinoma/mortality/surgery/*therapy ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aged ; Adult

No abstract available.