We performed a retrospective observational study of 67 patients who were treated with Docetaxel (DTX), Cisplatin (CDDP), and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as induction chemotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Jikei University Hospital from April 2010 to January 2018. The median age was 64 years (interquartile range: 55–68 years). The clinical stage was stage III in 2 patients and stage IV in 65 patients. The curative treatments after induction chemotherapy were chemoradiotherapy in 36 patients, radiotherapy with cetuximab (Cmab) in 19 patients, radiotherapy alone in 7 patients, surgery in 3 patients, and others in 2 patients. The median observation period was 24 months. The 5-year overall survival rate was 55.2%, and the 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 31%. These results were almost the same as those of previous studies overseas. Univariate analysis revealed that radiotherapy with CDDP was an independent prognostic factor and may be associated with the prognosis after induction chemotherapy.

In recent years, the morbidity and mortality rates for tuberculosis have been decreasing due to advances in preventive medicine and chemotherapy. However, tuberculosis remains an important disease in the field of otolaryngology.

However, the fiber-optic findings of laryngeal tuberculosis often show findings similar to those of laryngeal tumors and laryngeal infections, and it is often difficult to make a diagnosis based on the fiber-optic findings alone. In this case, we experienced laryngeal tuberculosis that was difficult to diagnose. The patient was an 85-year-old woman. At first, acute subglottic laryngitis was suspected, and antibiotic treatment was administered. Although improvement was observed initially, there was recurrent aggravation. A CT scan of the cervico-thoracic region, under suspicion of relapsing polychondritis, revealed findings suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis. After the start of anti-tuberculosis drug administration, the pulmonary tuberculosis and laryngeal tuberculosis improved rapidly, and no recurrence was observed after discharge.

Although laryngeal tuberculosis is a rare disease in everyday life, many cases can be complicated with pulmonary tuberculosis. Thus, prompt diagnosis is required from the viewpoint of public health.

Herein, we will focus on the process until the confirmation of the diagnosis, and any delays in diagnosis, and report this along with a review of the literature.

A diffuse-type tenosynovial giant cell tumor is a benign bone and soft tissue tumor arising from the joint synovium or tendon sheath, and is a subclass of tenosynovial giant cell tumors. It occurs mainly in large joints such as the knee joint, and occurs rarely in the temporomandibular joint. In this case, a patient visited a previous doctor with the chief complaints of left temporomandibular joint pain, trismus, and headache. Giant cell reparative granuloma was suspected based upon CT-guided biopsy, and she was referred to our hospital for treatment. Imaging tests were also performed at our hospital, but no definitive diagnosis was made. An initial surgical resection was performed for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment, and the pathological results and site of origin led to the diagnosis of diffuse-type tenosynovial giant cell tumor. Recurrence of the headache was subsequently observed, and it was thought to be due to residual lesions. Although there was a possibility that postoperative functional impairment remained, from the viewpoint of local control, a second surgical excision was performed using wide excision. The recurrence rate of giant cell reparative granuloma is 10–17% after sufficient curettage and resection of the lesion, but diffuse-type tenosynovial giant cell tumor has a high recurrence rate of 25–46%. Wide excision is preferable from the perspective of local control, although there remains the possibility that later functional impairment may occur.

Chondrosarcoma is one of the primary malignant bone tumors and occurs most commonly in the pelvis and femur, while those appearing in the head and neck region are rare. Herein, we report a case of laryngeal chondrosarcoma of primary origin in the cricoid cartilage.

An 87-year-old man came to our hospital with the chief complaint of hoarseness that had persisted for 2 years. He presented with upper airway stenosis and respiratory distress, and an emergency tracheotomy was performed to secure the airway. Based on endoscopic and CT/MRI findings, laryngeal chondrosarcoma was suspected, and biopsy revealed chondrosarcoma Grade I and enchondroma. Based on the imaging findings with bone-destructive changes mainly in the cricoid cartilage, we concluded that the tumor was most likely malignant, and total laryngectomy, right neck dissection, and right lobe thyroidectomy were performed. The diagnosis of chondrosarcoma grade I was obtained by histopathological examination after the resection.

Although curettage may be considered for chondrosarcoma grade I depending on the site of origin, the treatment plan for patients with primary chondrosarcoma of the laryngeal cartilage should be carefully considered according to the size and location of the tumor. There are few cases of primary chondrosarcoma of the laryngeal cartilage, and there are no clear criteria for treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to examine and determine the appropriate treatment plan according to each case.

Methotrexate-associated lymphoproliferative disorders (MTX-LPD) represent a group of iatrogenic immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorders caused by MTX, a medication for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucocutaneous ulcer (EBVMCU) was defined as an EBV-related disease with a good prognosis among MTX-LPD. MTX-LPD and EBVMCU are in the good prognosis group, that remit spontaneously only with the cessation or reduction of medication in most cases.

We report a case of MTX-LPD and EBVMCU in which a patient developed pharyngeal hemorrhage while undergoing MTX treatment for RA. Even after stopping taking the medication, she experienced repeated massive tonsillar hemorrhage and it was so difficult to stop the bleeding that surgical hemostasis under general anesthesia was necessary.

Although MTX-LPD and EBVMCU generally have favorable prognoses, it should be kept in mind that massive bleeding from ulcerative lesions can be fatal. In addition, for patients who have difficulty in securing an airway due to hemorrhage or who bleed repeatedly in a short period of time, it is important to take prompt measures, such as endotracheal intubation and surgical hemostasis.

The anatomy of the nasal and paranasal sinuses is complex, and when performing endoscopic sinus surgery, it is necessary to select instruments that are appropriate for the anatomical location. In collaboration with Mani, Inc., we developed the Mani^® ENT Knife for endoscopic sinus surgery. We devised two types of knife, a straight type and a curved type, to allow effective use in various situations. The straight type is primarily useful for septoplasty or the creation of anterior mucosal flaps. The curved type is useful for posterior nasal neurectomy; a procedure that requires manipulation of the posterior lateral wall of the nasal cavity, which has always been a difficult area for incision. In this paper, the usefulness of the ENT Knife^® is reported, and intraoperative images are shown.