Bilateral vocal cord palsy is almost always caused by neck surgery, particularly surgery of the thyroid. We report a case of bilateral vocal cord palsy requiring emergency surgery to relieve the airway obstruction as the sole presentation of acquired syphilis. As the incidence of syphilis worldwide is rising, this unusual presentation may give clinicians a different perspective on the disease.

Background: Surgical management of head and neck cancer is undoubtedly challenging, and we would like to see the outcome of managing such cases at one of the tertiary referral center in the East Coast of Malaysia. Methods: A 6-year retrospective analysis of surgically treated head and neck cancer cases in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) Kuantan, Pahang was conducted. Results: The total number of patients reviewed was 55 and mean age of the patients was 59 years (SD 12). The larynx was the most common surgically treated site (29.1%), followed by the oral cavity (16.4%) and the paranasal sinuses (14.5%). Majority of the patients presented with stage III (32.8%) and stage IV (41.8%) cancer. Post-operative local complications (23.6%) and wound breakdown was identified as the most common cause (20%). Low hemoglobin level prior to surgery was associated with anemia after surgery (P = 0.007) and prolonged hospital stay (P = 0.030). Tumor recurrence was observed in 21.8% of the cases. Advanced stage tumor had more percentage of positive margin than early stage tumor i.e., 23% in early stage versus 58% in advanced stage (P = 0.050). Conclusion: Surgical management of head and neck cancer in this center has an acceptable outcome.

Post-traumatic parotid sialocoele is a subcutaneous extravasation of saliva from the parotid gland secondary to traumatic disruption of its duct or parenchyma. Currently, there is no consensus regarding the best therapy for parotid sialocoele, as it is resistant to conservative management. The present paper puts forward a relatively simple, safe and effective technique for the treatment of parotid sialocoele, specifically a peroral drainage technique. The results justify our recommendation to use this approach for the treatment of sialocoele.
Wounds and Injuries ; General Surgery ; Salivary Ducts