PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

N R McLean

Publications and source records attributed to N R McLean.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Synchronous unilateral parotid neoplasms of different histological types.

The occurrence of multiple tumours in the salivary glands is an unusual phenomenon and the simultaneous development of tumours different types is extremely rare. Two cases are presented with synchronous tumours of the parotid gland of different histological types. The first was a Warthin tumour in combination with a metastatic lung carcinoma and the second was a pleomorphic adenoma in combination with non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma.

Adenolymphoma

Metastatic tumours of the parotid gland.

Twenty patients (12 men and 8 women, median age 69 years) with metastatic tumours in the parotid gland who presented over a 12-year period were evaluated retrospectively. Preoperative investigations included fine needle aspiration cytology (n = 11) and computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (n = 14). Most tumours originated from the head and neck region, the two main types being squamous cell carcinoma (n = 10) and malignant melanoma (n = 7). All 20 presented with a parotid mass and 11/20 (55%) had associated lymphadenopathy. Eleven patients (55%) underwent superficial, five total, and four radical, parotidectomy. Neck dissection was required in 16 patients (80%), and all 11 patients with clinically palpable lymph nodes had evidence of tumour in the neck dissection specimens. Half of all patients (n = 10) received adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy. Three-quarters of the patients (n = 15) were alive after a mean follow-up of 31 months and only one developed a marginal recurrence. The cumulative 5-year survival rate was 51%, and there was no significant difference (P = 0.48) in the 3-year survival rates of patients who had radical compared with those who had modified neck dissections. Patients who had superficial parotidectomy had a longer overall survival compared with those who had total or radical parotidectomy (P = 0.04) perhaps reflecting the advanced nature of tumours that required total or radical excision of the gland. We conclude that superficial parotidectomy is usually an adequate treatment for secondary parotid tumours (when disease is clinically limited to the superficial lobe), and we suggest that patients in whom metastatic disease of the parotid gland is suspected do not require neck dissection if they have no palpable lymph nodes and MRI shows no evidence of spread. There seems to be no survival advantage in radical over modified neck dissection.

Adolescent

Malignant tumours of the submandibular salivary gland: a 15-year review.

Malignant tumours of the submandibular salivary gland are rare, difficult to distinguish clinically from benign disease and often only diagnosed after initial excision of the enlarged gland. In this study of 70 patients (46 male, 24 female) with a mean age of 64 years (range 17-94), and an average duration of symptoms of 3 months, a painless submandibular swelling was the most common presentation. Of the 69 primary tumours, the most frequent histological types were adenoid cystic carcinomas (26 patients, 37%) and carcinoma ex-PSA (18 patients, 26%). One tumour was metastatic in origin, arising from a parotid primary. A total of 65 patients were treated by primary excision of the gland while five patients who presented with advanced disease were treated by radiotherapy alone. Adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy was utilised in 53 (75%) of patients. After a mean follow-up of 5 years, 32 (46%) of patients are still alive. Metastatic disease accounted for 21 deaths (30%). The clinical stage at presentation was the most significant factor predicting survival.

Adolescent

Chronic non-specific parotid sialadenitis.

Chronic non-specific sialadenitis of the parotid gland is an insidious inflammatory disorder which is characterised by intermittent, often painful, swelling of the gland. The disease tends to progress and may lead to the formation of a fibrous mass. The purpose of this paper is to review our experience in the surgical management of patients with chronic non-specific parotid sialadenitis. In a consecutive series of 100 patients treated for benign parotid disease, 19 were found to have chronic non-specific sialadenitis; 10 were male and 9 female. Mean age was 46 years and the mean duration of symptoms was 4.6 years. Sialography was performed in two-thirds of the patients and 17 patients were treated by superficial parotidectomy. Thirteen patients developed temporary facial nerve weakness and three Frey's syndrome. Three patients complained of temporary paraesthesia of the cheek, and two developed painful neuroma of the greater auricular nerve. Although there were two cases of infection of the parotid duct remnant, no recurrence of deep lobe sialadenitis or fistula formation was noted. Histologically, 3 lesions showed mild chronic sialadenitis, the rest had widespread involvement of the gland, and prolonged duration of symptoms was associated with extensive and severe involvement of the gland. Superficial parotidectomy has a very high success rate, with minimal long-term complications, and should be offered early in established cases, to reduce unnecessary morbidity.

Adult

Malignant tumours of the maxillary complex: an 18-year review.

Over an 18-year period, 147 patients with malignant tumours involving the maxillary complex were treated in a combined head and neck clinic, of whom 50 underwent surgery. There were 33 males and 17 females, the mean age was 57 years (range 11-87 years). The most common clinical presentations were either painful facial swelling, infraorbital anaesthesia, palatal ulceration or nasal obstruction. Preoperative investigations included EUA, biopsy and either CT or MRI scans. Of the 50 tumours, 62% were squamous cell carcinomas. Surgery consisted of either partial or total maxillectomy including craniofacial resection in nine patients. Reconstruction was by either split skin grafting or by free tissue transfer when the cranial contents had been exposed. Adjuvant radiotherapy was given in 82% of the patients. The mean follow-up was 5 years and 59% of patients are alive and disease free. The 5-year local control rate was 67%; it was greatly influenced by histological evidence of nerve invasion, local recurrence being the major cause of death. It was concluded that adequate surgical clearance, followed by planned postoperative radiotherapy, is the most effective treatment for malignant disease of the maxillary complex.

Adolescent

Malignant tumours of the parotid gland: a 12-year review.

Malignant parotid tumours are uncommon and present a significant management challenge. Fifty-one such patients (25 male, 26 female, median age 64 years) operated on in the Newcastle Plastic Surgery Unit between 1983 and 1994 were retrospectively evaluated. Preoperative investigations included FNA cytology (n = 20), and for staging CT and/or MRI scans (n = 21). Of the 35 primary tumours 32 were epithelial and three lymphomatous. Metastatic tumours were squamous cell carcinoma (7), melanoma (6), renal cell carcinoma (2) and sebaceous carcinoma (1). FNA cytology correctly diagnosed malignancy with an 88% sensitivity (false negatives = 2). A total or radical parotidectomy was required in 60% of patients, the rest undergoing superficial parotidectomy. In continuity neck dissection was undertaken in 23 (45%) cases. Postparotidectomy reconstruction included 10 free, 3 myocutaneous, and 4 local transposition/rotation flaps. Thirty-seven patients (73%) received postoperative radiotherapy. Seventy-two per cent of patients are alive after a mean follow-up of 42 months. The crude 5- and 10-year survival rates were 68% and 49% respectively while the loco-regional control rate (Kaplan-Meier method) at 10 years was 79%. Fifteen patients (30%) have permanent facial palsy. It is concluded that radical surgery with appropriate reconstruction followed by planned postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy gives effective control of malignant parotid tumours.

Adolescent

An evaluation of the Würzburg titanium miniplate osteosynthesis system for mandibular fixation.

We present an 8-year experience with the Würzburg noncompression titanium miniplate system for the rigid fixation of the mandible during elective head and neck cancer surgery in a consecutive series of 100 patients. One half of the miniplates were used to fix mandibulotomies undertaken for surgical access. The remaining half were in patients undergoing reconstruction of segmental mandibular defects, the vast majority (92%) with vascularised bone grafts. One to four variously shaped miniplates were used per patient (mean = 1.5), plate size ranging from 4 to 40 holes. Fifteen patients (15%) developed complications which included 3 mandibular osteoradionecrosis, 8 broken, 5 infected, and 4 exposed plates. Three of the eight fractured plates were associated with nonunion. In this study, the main advantages of titanium miniplate fixation, namely case of application, decreased fixation time and malleability, were accompanied by a level of morbidity which, while comparing well with alternatives, may necessitate a reappraisal of this technique of fixation.

Adolescent

Microvascular reconstruction of complex craniofacial defects.

Many large vault or skull base tumours are best treated by wide surgical excision and primary reconstruction using a microvascular free tissue transfer (free flap). We report 23 patients who were reconstructed using free flaps, eight having been previously treated surgically elsewhere and seven of whom had recurrent disease after radiotherapy. There was one flap failure and a local recurrence rate of 16% (3/19). The outcome at a mean follow-up period of 29 months, was 19 patients alive and four deaths.

Adult

Free tissue transfer in the management of burns.

Although the majority of burn wounds undergoing surgical treatment require only excision with split-skin grafting, the introduction of free microvascular tissue transfer has allowed for the preservation of otherwise unsalvageable deep burn injuries and the resurfacing of burn scars in areas with no available local tissue. A total of 1699 patients with burn injuries were admitted to the Burns Unit in Newcastle upon Tyne in the 5 years 1989-1993. During this period 604 patients (35.5 per cent) required surgical treatment of their burns. Of these patients 582 (96.4 per cent) underwent excision of their burns with split-skin grafting, 13 (2.1 per cent) of the patients required local flap cover and nine patients (1.5 per cent) had free tissue transfer. Free flap loss in this study was 22 per cent in burns patients as compared to only 3 per cent in patients undergoing microsurgical reconstruction for other reasons.

Adolescent

A review of 120 Becker permanent tissue expanders in reconstruction of the breast.

In reconstructive breast surgery, the permanent tissue expander has become popular because it avoids expander-implant exchange and gives the patient some control over the final breast size. It may, however, be associated with a number of complications. We therefore analysed the clinical notes of 111 consecutive recipients of Becker breast expanders with respect to complications and their possible predisposing factors. 120 prostheses were inserted in 111 consecutive patients with a mean age of 42.6 years. Median follow-up was 12 months (range 8 to 22). The commonest indication was postmastectomy breast reconstruction (81%) followed by congenital hypoplasia (14%) and acquired breast asymmetry following repeated biopsies (3%). Overexpansion before size adjustment was achieved after an average of 8 expander inflations. Complications included capsular contracture (9%), local tumour recurrence (8%), wound dehiscence (8%), filling port failure (6%), infected prostheses (4.5%) and ruptured implants (1.6%). The significant predisposing factors to wound dehiscence/infection were heavy smoking and radiotherapy (P < or = 0.05, chi 2 test). Expansion rate was not a factor. 89% of patients expressed satisfaction with the final aesthetic result. Despite the excellent results obtained with this technique, caution must be exercised in heavy smokers and the previously irradiated.

Adult

An objective assessment of speech and swallowing following free flap reconstruction for oral cavity cancers.

In this prospective study, eight consecutive patients underwent excision of oral cavity cancer and reconstruction with a microvascular free flap. Six patients had one pre- and two postoperative assessments of speech and swallowing at four to six weeks and four to six months respectively. One patient could not attend for the preoperative assessment and another for the first postoperative assessment. The speech assessment consisted of an intelligibility score and an articulation score. The swallowing assessment consisted of a videofluoroscopic examination. Five patients had an excellent postoperative speech assessment score, two had a moderate and one a poor result. Videofluoroscopy demonstrated minor swallowing problems preoperatively in one patient. Postoperatively, three patients had severe or moderate loss of control of bolus. Significant aspiration was detected in two and mild aspiration in one patient at the second postoperative assessment. The abnormalities of speech and swallowing were minor in the majority of the patients and the overall outlook was good. This information should be of value for preoperative counselling.

Adult

Gustatory sweating in a free flap.

A case of Frey's syndrome arising in a free radial forearm flap used to reconstruct a defect in the parotid region is reported. To our knowledge, Frey's syndrome, although common following parotidectomy, has not been reported in a free flap. It is possible that parasympathetic secretomotor fibres gained access to the fasciocutaneous flap via the cutaneous nerve stumps in its edge, resulting in gustatory sweating.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell