Osteoradionecrosis of the hyoid bone: a report of 3 cases

Osteoradionecrosis of the hyoid bone complicated by pharyngocutaneous fistula: A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a well-known complication following irradiation of head and neck malignancies. ORN commonly occurs in the mandible but is rarely reported in the hyoid bone.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 76-year-old female with a history of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma presented with pharyngocutaneous fistula 14 years after primary chemoradiation. Imaging showed necrosis of the hyoid bone. She underwent excision of the hyoid to rule out malignancy. Pathology was negative for carcinoma, but did show extensive fragmentation and bony necrosis consistent with ORN. The patient's clinical course, surgical treatment, and management considerations are discussed here.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyoid ORN should remain in the differential during diagnostic workup of previously irradiated head and neck cancer patients. The presentation of a pharyngocutaneous fistula should prompt workup to rule out malignancy before assigning a diagnosis of ORN.

Osteoradionecrosis of the hyoid bone after intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer: MR imaging findings

Background

Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the hyoid bone sometimes induces severe front neck infection and can cause laryngeal stenosis and carotid rupture. Although ORN of the hyoid bone is known to be a complication of chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer, there has been no basis for its evaluation. Our purpose is to present the clinical and MR imaging features of ORN of the hyoid bone.

Methods

The study group comprised patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer treated with targeted intra-arterial cisplatin infusion with concomitant radiotherapy. ORN of the hyoid bone was identified on the basis of decreased signal intensity of the bone marrow on T1WI images. Signal intensity on T2WI images was used to distinguish between inflammation and fibrosis.

Results

A total of 39 pre-treatment MR images and follow-up MR images were reviewed. ORN of the hyoid bone were detected in 30% of patients after treatment, with 23% of them showing inflammation and 7.7% fibrosis. Two patients developed severe neck infection and received antibiotics and underwent surgical intervention by tracheostomy and resection of the hyoid bone.

Conclusion

Our MR imaging study showed that ORN of the hyoid bone is not particularly rare in patients with oropharyngeal cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy. Clinicians should evaluate images carefully to prevent the development of severe complication due to infection associated with ORN of the hyoid bone.

Osteoradionecrosis of the hyoid bone--a novel application of the Sonopet ultrasonic aspirator

A 66-year-old man with a history of squamous cell carcinoma of the right tonsil presented to the emergency department with two life-threatening episodes of haemoptysis 9 months after completion of chemoradiation. He was evaluated to rule out recurrent malignancy, and was determined to have osteoradionecrosis of his hyoid bone that had led to an oropharyngeal fistula. Given the proximity to branches of the external carotid, he was offered tracheostomy and resection of the protruding necrotic bone with ultrasonic bone aspirator, which was placed down the shaft of the laryngoscope to minimise damage to adjacent structures. He tolerated the procedure well with complete resolution of exposed bone on follow-up laryngoscopy.

Imaging of the Head and Neck following Radiation Treatment

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck occurs in approximately 40,000 patients annually in the United States and is often treated with radiation therapy. Radiological studies are obtained following treatment for head and neck malignancies to assess for recurrent tumor, posttreatment changes, and associated complications. Radiation treatment creates a difficult clinical picture for oncologists, head and neck surgeons, neuroradiologists, and neuropathologists. As post-treatment imaging studies are often discussed at radiology/pathology working conferences, knowledge of the imaging appearance of radiation-associated changes in the head and neck and the terminology used by neuroradiologists may not only aid in interpretation of the pathologic specimen, but also assist in communications with neuroradiologists and referring clinicians.

Osteoradionecrosis of the hyoid bone: imaging findings

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

ORN is a postradiation complication that has been well-documented in the medical literature. Most cases in the head and neck have been described in the mandible or larynx. Only a handful of cases in the hyoid bone are documented, all in the clinical literature. Our purpose is to present the clinical and imaging features of ORN involving the hyoid bone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We present a case series of 13 patients with imaging findings highly suggestive of hyoid ORN after radiation therapy for head and neck cancers, in which we observed progressive features of hyoid disruption along with adjacent soft-tissue ulceration.

RESULTS

Pretreatment imaging, when available, showed a normal hyoid. Typical postradiation imaging findings included an initial tongue base ulcerative lesion with air approaching the hyoid bone, and subsequent observation of hyoid fragmentation, often with intraosseous or peri-hyoid air and the absence of associated mass-like enhancement.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of hyoid fragmentation, cortical disruption, and soft tissue or intraosseous air in the postradiation therapy patient should strongly suggest the diagnosis of hyoid ORN. It is important recognize this entity because the diagnosis may preclude potentially harmful diagnostic intervention and allow more appropriate therapy.

Endothelin-1-induced pain and hyperalgesia: a review of pathophysiology, clinical manifestations and future therapeutic options

Pain in patients with metastatic cancer contributes to increased suffering in those already burdened by their advancing illness. The causes of this pain are unknown, but are likely to involve the action of tumour-associated mediators and their receptors. In recent years, several chemical mediators have increasingly come to the forefront in the pathophysiology of cancer pain. One such mediator, endothelin-1 (ET-1), is a peptide of 21 amino acids that was initially shown to be a potent vasoconstrictor. Extensive research has revealed that members of the ET family are indeed produced by several epithelial cancerous tumours, in which they act as autocrine and/or paracrine growth factors. Several preclinical and clinical studies of various malignancies have suggested that the ET axis may represent an interesting contributor to tumour progression. In addition, evidence is accumulating to suggest that ET-1 may contribute to pain states both in humans and in other animals. ET-1 both stimulates nociceptors and sensitises them to painful stimuli. Selective stimulation of ET receptors has been implicated as a cause of inflammatory, neuropathic and tumoural pain. ET-1-induced pain-related behaviour seems to be mediated either solely by one receptor type or via both endothelin-A receptors (ETAR) and endothelin-B receptors (ETBR). Whereas stimulation of ETAR on nociceptors always elicits a pain response, stimulation of ETBR may cause analgesia or elicit a pain response, depending on the conditions. The administration of ETAR antagonists in the receptive fields of these nociceptors has been shown to ameliorate pain-related behaviours in animals, as well as in some patients with advanced metastatic prostate cancer. The identification of tumour-associated mediators that might directly or indirectly cause pain in patients with metastatic disease, such as ET-1, should lead to improved, targeted analgesia for patients with advanced cancer. In this review, we will describe the current status of the role of ET-1 in different types of painful syndromes, with special emphasis on its role in the pathophysiology of cancer pain. Finally, potential new treatment options that are based on the role of the ET axis in the pathophysiology of cancer are elaborated.

Osteoradionecrosis of the cervical spine resulting from radiotherapy for primary head and neck malignancies: operative and nonoperative management

✓ Osteoradionecrosis is a process of dysvascular bone necrosis and fibrous replacement following exposure to high doses of radiation. The poorly vascularized necrotic tissue may cause pain and/or instability, and it cannot resist infection well, which may result in secondary osteomyelitis. When these processes affect the cervical spine, the resulting instability and neurological deficits can be devastating, and immediate reestablishment of spinal stability is paramount. Reconstruction of the cervical spine can be particularly challenging in this subgroup of patients in whom the spine is poorly vascularized after radical surgery, high-dose irradiation, and infection. The authors report three cases of cervical spine osteoradionecrosis following radiotherapy for primary head and neck malignancies. Two patients suffered secondary osteomyelitis, severe spinal deformity, and spinal cord compression. These patients underwent surgery in which a vascularized fibular graft and instrumentation were used to reconstruct the cervical spine; subsequently hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy was instituted. Fusion occurred, spinal stability was restored, and neurological dysfunction resolved at the 2- and 4-year follow-up examinations, respectively. The third patient experienced pain and dysphagia but did not have osteomyelitis, spinal instability, or neurological deficits. He underwent HBO therapy alone, with improved symptoms and imaging findings. Hyperbaric oxygen is an essential part of treatment for osteoradionecrosis and may be sufficient by itself for uncomplicated cases, but surgery is required for patients with spinal instability, spinal cord compression, and/or infection. A vascularized fibular bone graft is a very helpful adjunct in these patients because it adds little morbidity and may increase the rate of spinal fusion.