Cutaneous anthrax usually has a mortality rate of less than 1 per cent. However, since December 2009 there have been more than 13 deaths in the UK due to anthrax-contaminated heroin. We therefore wish to raise clinical awareness of this treatable disease.

We describe the case of a heroin user with an equivocal presentation of cellulitis in the neck. Within 36 hours, this led to death due to cutaneous anthrax.

Whilst cutaneous anthrax remains rare, this case report aims to raise awareness of the fact that the symptoms and signs of this condition in intravenous drug users may not always fit the typical picture.

Ceruminous mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the external auditory canal is extremely rare. This paper highlights the impact of concurrent chemoradiotherapy on the outcomes of this disease.

A 47-year-old female presented with a 2-month history of otalgia and a mass in her right ear. Biopsy revealed high grade ceruminous mucoepidermoid carcinoma. She underwent surgical excision of the right external auditory canal and right upper neck dissection. Pathological analysis of tumour–node–metastasis staging revealed a T2 N0 (stage II) tumour. One year later, computed tomography scanning of the temporal bone showed tumour recurrence. Biopsy revealed recurrent ceruminous mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The patient underwent salvage resection. Pathology revealed that the tumour was diffusely invading nearby structures, with perineural invasion, lymphatic spread and extracapsular extension. Pathological analysis of tumour–node–metastasis staging revealed a T3 N1 M0 (recurrent stage IV) tumour.

The patient subsequently received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. There was no evidence of disease at 37 months' follow up.

The trimodality approach, using surgery plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy, provided reasonable loco-regional control with tolerable toxicity. Further detailed case reports are warranted to optimise the management of this rare malignancy.

The authors present a case of diffuse fatty infiltration of the thyroid gland with coexistent deposition of amyloid protein.

A case history and brief literature review concerning amyloid goitre and fatty infiltration of the thyroid are presented, and the relationship between these two phenomena is discussed.

A patient with AA amyloidosis presented with a slowly enlarging goitre, which on histological examination was extensively infiltrated with adipose tissue. Amyloid protein was found on Congo red staining.

To our best knowledge, this patient represents the first reported case of diffuse lipomatosis of the thyroid gland causing goitre in a patient with AA amyloidosis. The presence of amyloid protein within the thyroid was not sufficient to cause enlargement per se, and was therefore of unclear significance. Together with previous reports of the concurrent deposition of amyloid and fat, this case raises questions as to the relationship between these two phenomena.

To review the diagnosis of primary papillary carcinoma of ectopic thyroid tissue within branchial cleft cysts, and to discuss the diagnostic challenge of differentiating this condition from metastatic disease when an occult microcarcinoma is found in the thyroid gland.

These comprise a case report and a literature review. We present the case of a 75-year-old woman with papillary thyroid carcinoma within the wall of a recurrent, 15 cm, lateral neck cyst.

Histological examination of the patient's thyroid gland found a 0.5 mm papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Our differential diagnosis was primary papillary carcinoma arising from ectopic thyroid tissue, or metastatic cystic degeneration of a lateral lymph node. We make an argument for the former.

During otologic surgical procedures, there is often a dilemma when ensuring that hair is kept out of the surgical field. For a surgeon, the simplest and commonest technique is to liberally shave the head, but this can cause aesthetic concerns for the patient. Failure to keep the area hair-free can lead to a range of adverse surgical outcomes including wound infection and poor scar cosmesis. We describe a technique used in our department to effectively control hair during otologic surgical procedures, with no post-operative aesthetic concerns.

The use of re-usable or disposable surgical drapes with disposable skin staples can effectively exclude hair from the operative field throughout the procedure, without fear of the drapes slipping or losing adhesiveness.

The authors have obtained good results both during and after surgery, using this quick and easily learnt method, with no cases of long-term skin damage or scarring.

We find this to be an effective method of hair and skin preparation for otologic surgical procedures, and suggest it to fellow otorhinolaryngologists as a helpful alternative technique.

To report a patient with maxillary pneumosinus dilatans and facial deformity treated by reduction osteoplasty and reconstruction.

This study describes the successful management of facial deformity in a 17-year-old male with maxillary pneumosinus dilatans. The patient's facial deformity of the maxillary sinus, which had been slowly progressing over a 10-year period, was managed by reduction osteoplasty and reconstruction using the maxillary bone, conchal cartilage and Tutoplast-processed fascia lata via a sublabial approach. This treatment yielded satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes.

As pneumosinus dilatans of the maxillary sinus is uncommon, there is no established surgical treatment protocol. This surgical technique was less invasive than other described procedures and revealed good cosmetic results.

This paper reports a case of a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve which was accurately predicted pre-operatively using computed tomography.

A 61-year-old man presented with papillary thyroid carcinoma with lymph node metastasis. Computed tomography scans of the neck and chest revealed an ill-defined, hypoattenuating nodule in the right lobe of the thyroid gland, with few upper paratracheal and prevascular nodes, and clear lung fields. The retro-oesophageal course of the right subclavian artery, which was arising from the distal portion of the arch of aorta, was also incidentally revealed in the computed tomography scan. A barium swallow further confirmed the presence of a retro-oesophageal subclavian artery. Total thyroidectomy was performed, with right neck dissection and central compartment clearance. This was carried out with the presence of a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve in mind, and the nerve was accurately localised and preserved.

To our knowledge this is the first report in the world literature of accurate pre-operative incidental imaging of the right non-recurrent laryngeal nerve in a case of metastatic thyroid cancer, and the subsequent use of computed tomography to guide surgical navigation.

Relapsing polychondritis is a multi-system autoimmune disease characterised by the inflammation and destruction of cartilaginous structures. The most common sites are the pinna, nose, laryngotracheobronchial tree and peripheral joints. Airway involvement occurs in up to half of patients affected, at any disease stage. It is the most severe and life-threatening aspect of the disease, and proves to be a therapeutic challenge.

This article reports our experience of performing laryngotracheal reconstruction in a patient with relapsing polychondritis. A review of the literature is presented, with a focused discussion of airway treatment options.

Laryngotracheal reconstruction for relapsing polychondritis was performed using hyoid bone pedicled on sternohyoid muscle.

Airway management in relapsing polychondritis can improve quality of life and palliate patients effectively.

To discuss the diagnostic pitfalls and limitations of imaging investigations in non-otogenic skull base osteomyelitis.

This paper reports a fatal case of non-otogenic fungal skull base osteomyelitis in an immunosuppressed patient. The patient initially presented with headache and later diplopia during multiple hospital admissions. A retrospective review of the initial imaging studies of his skull base revealed subtle signs of early infection at the inferior portion of the nasopharynx. Biopsies were taken from the posterior nasopharyngeal wall. Fungal cultures isolated Aspergillus fumigatus and mucor species.

The insidious onset of the clinical features and the limitations of the currently available investigations make early diagnosis of skull base osteomyelitis difficult. This case highlights that skull base osteomyelitis should be suspected in immunocompromised patients with subtle radiological abnormalities on initial imaging. There is still controversy regarding the most accurate method of investigation for early diagnosis, and quite often multiple imaging modalities are required.

Sarcomatoid salivary duct carcinoma of the submandibular gland is extremely rare. This paper highlights the impact of surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy on the outcome of this disease.

A 59-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus presented with a painless, rapidly growing left neck mass. Biopsy followed by surgical excision of the left submandibular gland revealed sarcomatoid salivary duct carcinoma of the submandibular gland duct with perineural invasion and close margins, for which he underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. Post-operative positron emission tomography and computed tomography revealed no residual or metastatic disease. Pathological analysis of tumour–node–metastasis staging revealed a T2 N0 M0 (stage II) tumour.

The patient tolerated his treatment without serious acute or long-term side effects. There was no evidence of disease on comprehensive examination or on positron emission tomography or computed tomography scans at the 4.6-year follow up.

Surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy provided practical locoregional control with acceptable toxicity. Further detailed case reports are warranted to optimise the management of this rare malignancy.

To describe a relatively unknown clinical entity – inflammatory cast of the tympanic membrane after acute otitis media – and its simple out-patient treatment.

Retrospective review of case series.

Subspecialty practice at a tertiary hospital.

Seven patients diagnosed previously with acute otitis media with perforation or otitis externa, and with persistent ear discomfort.

Retrospective chart review.

The patients presented with weeks to months of persistent hearing loss after acute otitis media with perforation or acute otitis externa. Visits to their primary care physicians had been uninformative. After comparison of the affected and unaffected tympanic membranes, a thin, hard cast was identified and removed from the affected tympanic membrane. Improvement in hearing was documented in the three patients who underwent audiometric testing; the remainder had subjective improvement without audiometric evaluation.

Otolaryngologists should be aware of the possibility of an inflammatory cast of the tympanic membrane following acute otitis media with perforation or otitis externa, and should carefully compare the unaffected and affected ears in such cases. Treatment – removal of the rigid cast – is both simple and effective.

This paper reports on two rare cases of neonatal airway lesions with differing aetiology that were successfully managed by surgery, and provides a review of the literature on neonatal stridor and airway lesions.

In the first case report, a newborn presented with a nasopharyngeal teratoma. In the second case report, a newborn presented with a congenital laryngeal saccular cyst. Difficulties in the diagnosis of these lesions, and surgical and anaesthetic challenges in their management are discussed.

Every case of neonatal airway distress must be evaluated and the cause of stridor needs to be established. It is important that rare lesions such as teratomas and laryngeal cysts are not overlooked; a high index of suspicion for these congenital anomalies is necessary. These airway lesions should be managed in an institutional setting by a multidisciplinary team.

Major haemorrhage is a catastrophic complication occurring in 3–4 per cent of head and neck cancer patients. Massive haemorrhage also causes 50 per cent of preventable deaths in combat situations. There has been a surge of interest in the development of effective haemostatic products in the military, with chitosan being one such product.

A 48-year-old lady presented with a life-threatening head and neck bleed. She was known to have a malignant peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma originating from the left parapharyngeal space. Bleeding was successfully controlled with the application of Celox™ granules, a chitosan-based product currently used in the military.

This paper describes the first known use of a military haemostatic agent to control a malignant head and neck bleed. Celox granules can be poured directly onto a wound to enhance haemorrhage control. The suggested mechanism of action and reports of current uses of haemostatic agents are described.

Cicatricial pemphigoid can affect all mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract; however, hypopharyngeal involvement is less frequent.

This paper presents a 69-year-old male diagnosed as having cicatricial pemphigoid who was experiencing difficulty swallowing. Videofluorography with barium swallow demonstrated narrow flow through the medial hypopharynx, but not through the lateral hypopharynx. Direct laryngoscopy revealed that the postcricoid hypopharyngeal lumen had become narrow due to circumferential scar formation. Interestingly, detached thin membranous webs were observed beyond the circumferential scar.

This report describes important videofluorographic and direct laryngoscopic findings showing rare hypopharyngeal involvement in a case of cicatricial pemphigoid.

We report a unique case of anatomical variation of the extracranial course of the optic nerve running in the floor of the sphenoid sinus.

Clinical and radiological findings are presented.

A 39-year-old woman with Turner syndrome presented with severe headache associated with visual disturbances. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass presumed to be a sella meningioma. Computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses was undertaken to help plan surgical removal via an endoscopic trans-sphenoidal approach; this scan revealed an atypical extracranial course of the optic nerve, running in the floor of the sphenoid sinus.

There have been few reports of lingual dermoid cysts with a congenital discharging fistula. We report such a case, which mimicked lipoma on computed tomography, and we discuss relevant clinical and radiological features.

We present a case report and a review of the English language literature concerning lingual dermoid cysts either mimicking lipoma or with a congenital discharging sinus.

A 35-year-old man presented with a lingual mass associated with a congenital fistula in the midline of the tongue dorsum, which discharged abnormal secretions. Computed tomography images showed that the lesion was well defined and contained homogeneous fatty tissue giving computed tomography attenuation values of −120 Hounsfield units.

Lingual dermoid cysts may develop with a midline discharging fistula, and may exhibit radiological similarity to lipomas on computed tomography.