Epidermoid cysts are benign epithelial cysts that occur rarely in the neck. In contrast to dermoid cysts, epidermoid cysts do not include dermal attachments such as hair, hair follicles, sebaceous glands and sweat glands. They may be congenital or acquired. Acquired epidermoid cysts are either post-traumatic or iatrogenic. They rarely enlarge markedly.

This study discusses epidermoid cysts in a 34-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man, both of which were giant epidermoid cysts in the sublingual space. Both patients were admitted for difficulty swallowing and cosmetic problems. The cysts of both patients had an aetiology of trauma and were documented by pathology sections and pre-operative magnetic resonance images. Both cysts were excised completely, one intraorally and one externally. Such cysts are benign and ought to be borne in mind in the differential diagnosis of oral cavity and neck cystic masses.

We report a case of an abscess from an ’ectopic’ accessory parotid gland in the cheek demonstrated by sialography and computed tomography (CT). The accessory parotid gland was ectopically located anterolateral to the masseter muscle and isolated from the main parotid gland. The orifice and ductal system of the ectopic accessory parotid gland were separated from those of Stensen’s duct. The abscess developed from this ectopic accessory gland, and the main parotid gland was free of inflammation. Using sialography and CT, we confirmed the presence of this ectopic accessory gland.

Monkey electrophysiological and human neuroimaging studies indicate the existence of specialized neural systems for the perception and execution of actions. To date, the dynamics of these neural systems in humans have not been well studied. Here, we investigated the spatial and temporal behavior of human neural responses elicited to viewing motion of the face, hand, and body. Scalp event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in 20 participants viewing videotaped mouth (opening, closing), hand (closing, opening), and body stepping (forward, backward) movements. ERP peak differences within the movements of each body part were compared using topographical maps of voltage, voltage difference, and Student's t-test at ERP peak latencies. Predominantly temporoparietal negative ERPs occurred to motion of all body parts within 200 ms postmovement onset. Hand closure elicited a significantly greater negativity than opening, particularly in the left hemisphere. Vertex positive ERPs within 300 ms postmovement onset were elicited to hand and body motion. A significantly greater positivity occurred for the body stepping forward relative to stepping backward. The ERP topography was consistent with observed activation foci in human neuroimaging studies. Our data indicate that the neural activity of a system dedicated to the perception of high-level motion stimuli can rapidly differentiate between movements across and within body parts.

Free jejunum has been commonly tubed to provide a reconstructive pharyngeal conduit following pharyngolaryngectomy. It is also common practice to repair small oral and oro-pharyngeal defects with skinlined flaps i.e. radial free forearm or pectoralis major myocutaneous flap.

Free jejunal patch flaps can provide cover for large defects, secrete mucus, tolerate radiotherapy well and do not contract. The operation is associated with a low morbidity and early return of swallowing is feasible. Here we describe the functional results of free jejunal patch flap reconstruction of extensive oral and oro-pharyngeal defects.

A true lipoma is a rare lesion in the oral cavity. A histologically distinct variant is the spindle-cell variety, which is an innocuous lesion that can simulate a myxoid liposarcoma.

We report a case of intra-oral spindle-cell lipoma in a 42-year-old female and have reviewed the literature pertaining to this unusual histopathological entity. A wareness of the condition is essential for both clinicians and pathologists to avoid any misinterpretation of the benign nature of this condition.

A case of a penetrating oral foreign body presenting with an aural polyp is described. The possibility of a penetrating oral injury should be considered whenever a child's fall is unwitnessed, as it is easily overlooked. An underlying foreign body should be considered in cases where an aural polyp fails to respond to standard therapy. MRI may be the best imaging technique to identify plastic foreign material.

We present a case of plasmacytosis of the mucous membrane of the upper aerodigestive tract. This is a rare benign condition characterized by plasma cell infiltration of the mucosa, with only nine cases described previously (Ferreiro et al., 1994). The lesions, which have a cobblestone appearance, cause throat discomfort, dysphonia and mild dyspnoea. All the cases described previously failedto respond to antibiotics, systemic steroids, or to surgical resection. The present case has however responded favourably to intensive andprolonged treatment with beclamethasone oral spray and Corsodyl mouthwashes.

We present a 42-year-old male with botryomycosis initially presenting with left-sided proptosis due to an infraorbital mass. A biopsy through an anterior orbitotomy yielded indeterminate histopathology. The patient later developed a similar oral lesion which was biopsied and found to be botryomycosis. The oral lesion recurred after initial surgical treatment, but responded to antibiotic therapy. Discussion of this case along with a review of the literature is presented to offer guidelines for recognition and managment of this rare disorder.

Sebaceous carcinoma arising from the buccal mucosa is very rare. Only one such case has been reported in the English literature. We report a second case arising in an 11-year-old girl.

We present a case of a patient who sustained a bullet wound to the mouth and face resulting in impaction of the foreign body in the neck. This was initially managed conservatively until migration into the supralaryngeal area occurred. This resulted in airway obstruction, dysphagia, and dysphonia necessitating resuscitation and per-operative intrapharyngeal removal.

Bullet wounds are uncommon in this country and experience with these cases is lacking. This paper discusses the various management options and the mechanism of how the bullet became lodged in the tissues of the neck.