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The aim of this study was to demonstrate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the number and characteristics of head and neck cancer patients in two consecutive periods, pre-pandemic and pandemic. For this purpose, we performed a retrospective analysis of patients with primary carcinomas of head and neck mucosal sites, salivary gland tumors, as well as neck metastases. Two pre-COVID-19 years (2018-2019) and two pandemic years (2020-2021) were compared. Demographic data, overall number of patients, TNM classification of the two most affected sites (oral cavity and larynx), time from symptom onset to first outpatient admission to our department, and time from first admission to treatment initiation were noted. Study results revealed a higher number of patients during the pandemic period and difference in the distribution of tumor sites (χ2=33.68, df=9, p<0.001). Oral cavity cancer prevailed over laryngeal cancer during the pandemic period. A statistically significant difference was observed in delay of initial presentation to head and neck surgeon for oral cavity cancer during the pandemic period (p=0.019). Furthermore, significant delay was found for both sites concerning time from initial presentation to the beginning of treatment (larynx: p=0.001 and oral cavity: p=0.006). Despite these facts, there were no differences in TNM stages comparing two observed periods. Study results indicated that there was a statistically significant delay of surgical treatment for both cancer sites observed (oral cavity and larynx) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survival study is necessary in the future to definitely reveal the true consequences of COVID-19 pandemic on treatment outcomes.

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Laryngeal carcinoma is one of the most common tumors of the head and neck, just after skin cancer. Alongside open surgery, transoral endoscopic laser surgery (TOLS) has become widespread as a treatment method. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of transoral laser cordectomy in a group of patients with early glottic carcinoma. We retrospectively analyzed data on 131 patients who underwent TOLS in the 2017-2021 period. We divided patients into groups according to tumor stage and type of cordectomy performed, and compared outcomes between the groups. Our results revealed a higher number of patients in the group with Tis and T1a than in those with T1b and T2 who underwent type III cordectomy, and also a higher number of those for whom outpatient follow-ups were sufficient after surgery in the same group. We did not observe significant difference in outcomes according to cordectomy type except for type V (a-d), where a higher number of patients had to undergo radiotherapy. This study underlines the importance of careful patient selection for TOLS, as well as the need for close cooperation with pathology and radiology specialists to ensure optimal approach and extent of surgery for each individual patient. It also displayed TOLS as a sound therapeutic option for early stages of glottic carcinoma but also indicated the need for similar studies in a larger number of patients to elucidate the effectiveness in certain glottis areas.

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Petrous apicitis (PA) is an extremely rare complication of otitis media (OM), one of the most common infections in children. We describe a case of PA in a 5-year-old girl who remained misdiagnosed for a time because of its presentation mainly as a headache and the late onset of the characteristic symptoms. Our patient received an initial diagnosis of non-suppurative OM, but after a course of antibiotic treatment, her headache persisted. During the following 2 months, she was examined numerous times by neurologists as well as by ear, nose, and throat and pediatric specialists, all of whom concluded that there was no organic cause of the headache. Finally, after the patient suddenly developed signs of abducens nerve palsy, new computed tomography (CT) findings revealed severe temporal bone destruction caused by an inflammatory process. This case report shows the importance of a thorough approach to identify headaches in children. Additional attention must be applied when examining a child with prolonged symptoms of headaches that do not subside with standard therapy.

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BACKGROUND: Cervical lymph node metastases are frequently found in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and occur in a stepwise fashion. Skip metastases that omit the central compartment and spread initially in lateral neck levels are present in a certain share of patients, and their significance is poorly understood. The aim of this prospective study was to identify their possible predictors and clinicopathological factors in a group of patients with PTC with lateral lymph node (LLN) metastases. METHODS: We enrolled 68 patients with PTC with preoperatively evaluated LLN metastases who underwent total thyroidectomy with lateral lymph node dissection between 2011 and 2018. We analysed the clinicopathological features and pattern of dissemination of continuous and skip metastases. RESULTS: The prevalence of skip metastases was 23.5%. Compared with the continuous metastases group, the patients were older, had primary tumors that were more often situated unilaterally, and had smaller primary tumor size. Level II was less often involved, and none of the patients with skip metastases had all LNN positive (p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Skip metastases occur more frequently in older patients and display certain clinicopathological features like smaller size of the primary tumor and dissemination in less lateral neck levels. In the view of the fact that they are found rather frequently, lateral neck regions should be meticulously investigated in patients with PTC without central lymph node (CLL) metastases.

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