Dongbin Ahn

• Kyungpook National University

Background/Objectives: To evaluate the role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in the management of localized head and neck mucosal melanoma (HNMM). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 33 patients who underwent surgery for localized HNMM between 2006 and 2023. PORT was delivered to affected anatomical structures, and elective nodal irradiation w...

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the current practices and trends of intraoperative facial nerve (FN) monitoring (IOFNM) during parotidectomy. Methods: A questionnaire containing 33 questions collecting information on the usage, indications, settings, techniques, loss of signal (LOS) management, anesthesiologist cooperation, and perception...

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the true risk of bleeding and nondiagnostic (ND) specimens associated with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for neck lesions in patients taking antithrombotic/anticoagulation (AT/AC) medications. Using the Population Intervention Comparison and Outcome modeling, we searched PubMed an...

Purpose This study compared ethanol ablation (EA) with the Sistrunk operation (SO) with regard to feasibility, treatment efficacy, and cost-effectiveness. The goal was to evaluate whether EA could replace SO as a primary treatment modality for thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs). Methods This retrospective case-control study included patients with TGD...

Thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) is the most common congenital neck mass caused by remnants of the thyroglossal duct during fetal development and migration. Traditionally, the Sistrunk procedure has been recommended as the standard surgical treatment for TGDC. However, this procedure is associated with several surgical burdens such as the need for gen...

Recently, non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments, including ethanol ablation (EA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), have been commonly used as primary treatments for benign thyroid nodules. While these techniques have been gaining popularity owing to their safety and effectiveness, they may involve various complications such as pain, voice...

Simple Summary Studies on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in oropharyngeal squamous papilloma (OPSP) are lacking, although HPV is a critical oncogenic virus for the development of oropharyngeal cancer. This study evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of HPV infection in OPSP and showed a 14.5% overall prevalence. High-risk HPV accounts...

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, characteristics, and outcomes of ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation (US-EA) as a primary treatment for thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs). Study design: Prospective case series. Setting: Single center study. Methods: The inclusion criteria were as follows: (i) patients with TGDC aged ≥18 years, (ii) beni...

Aim: To evaluate the results of primary concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) with triweekly cisplatin in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) aged ≥65 years by comparing these patients to those aged < 65 years. Methods: This prospective, single-center study enrolled patients with HNSCC for whom CCRT was indicated as th...

Amyloidosis is a rare benign disease characterized by the extracellular deposition of nonsoluble fibrillar proteins (amyloids) within organs. Laryngeal amyloidosis (LA) accounts for only 9%-15% of all cases of amyloidosis. Since clinical manifestations and laryngoscopic findings often overlap with those of laryngeal cancer, it is challenging to dif...

Objective To evaluate parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) regarding localization, surgical characteristics, and treatment outcomes. Methods Seventy-eight patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for PHPT were retrospectively reviewed. The results were analyzed according to intraoperative localization technique (IOLT), intraope...

In the last few decades, the standard surgical treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) has shifted from bilateral neck exploration to focused/minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (FMIP). This shift was accelerated by the introduction of intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) monitoring, which can provide intraoperative information rega...

Objective To evaluate the ultrasonography (US) characteristics of pharyngeal/laryngeal masses and the role of US in the assessment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Methods This study enrolled patients who underwent US for evaluation of pharyngeal/laryngeal masses between 2018 and 2021. Characteristics of pharyngeal/laryngeal masses and...

Objectives We aimed to evaluate the ultrasonography (US) characteristics of carotid space schwannoma and their role in identifying the nerve of origin. Methods This prospective study enrolled patients with cervical carotid space schwannoma accessible by US. The US characteristics of vagus nerve schwannomas (VNSs) and sympathetic nerve schwannomas...

Objective This study evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of tonsillar human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in tumor-free patients undergoing tonsillectomy. Methods We prospectively enrolled healthy patients who underwent tonsillectomy for tumor-free tonsillar disease. Their tonsillar HPV infections were evaluated using CLART HPV2, and sub...

Background and Objectives There have not been any studies that compared retroauricular hairline (RAH) and V-shaped incisions for parotidectomy. In this regard, we aimed to evaluate the results of RAH and V-shaped incisions.Subjects and Method Between 2016 and 2019, 81 patients who underwent parotidectomy using RAH (n=46) and V-shaped (n=35) incisio...

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the true prevalence and characteristics of vagus nerve (VN) variations using the carotid artery (CA) and the internal jugular vein (C-I axis). Methods: We examined patients who underwent neck ultrasonography (US) conducted by a single operator. A VN variation was defined as a VN located anterior or medial to the C-I...

Background and Objectives The incidence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) continues to increase worldwide. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive understanding of recurrence after hemithyroidectomy in patients with PTMC. We aimed to evaluate the characteristics and risk factors of recurrence after hemithyroidectomy in patients with PT...

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology and core-needle biopsy (US-FNAC/CNB) for the diagnosis of laryngo-hypopharyngeal masses. Materials and methods: This was a single-center prospective case series. From January 2018 to June 2019, we initially enrolled 40 pati...

The current standard cisplatin regimen for concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) involves generalized static administration of cisplatin without considering patient characteristics and patient/tumor responses during treatment. We aimed to evaluate the oncological feasibility of individualized/dynamic cisplatin regimens for definitive CCRT in pat...

Background/aim: This study was conducted to investigate transforming growth factor beta-induced protein (TGFBI) expression and analyze the clinical and prognostic significance of TGFBI in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Patients and methods: We evaluated TGFBI expression by immunohistochemistry in 94 patients with OPSCC. For compr...

Purpose Despite the increased needs for better cosmetic outcomes following parotidectomy, there is no study on the individualized use of esthetic approaches for parotidectomy. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of individualzsed esthetic approaches for parotidectomy using facelift (FL), retroauricular hairline (RAH), and V-shaped incisions, and c...

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate benefits in terms of time and cost of percutaneous ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy/core-needle biopsy (US-FNAB/CNB) for the diagnosis of primary laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LHSCC) in comparison with direct laryngoscopic biopsy (DLB) under general anesthesia. Study De...

Background/aim: This study was conducted to comprehensively evaluate programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, and analyze the clinical and prognostic implications of PD-L1 expression in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Patients and methods: We evaluated the expression of PD-L1 using the antibodies SP263 and SP142 in 106 p...

Background: We aimed to evaluate the oncological impact of hypothyroidism and levothyroxine (LT) supplementation after hemithyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: We retrospectively examined 401 patients who underwent hemithyroidectomy for classic PTC and who were postoperatively followed-up with ≥3 thyroid fun...

Background The goal of the present study was to determine the actual incidence, predictive risk factors, and clinical characteristics of levothyroxine supplementation (LT4S) used for the management of hypothyroidism after hemithyroidectomy. Methods From 2008 to 2015, we included 535 patients who underwent hemithyroidectomy. LT4S was initiated base...

Salivary gland tumors are mostly benign, and malignant tumors are rare. Because of this rarity, there is little molecular biology research on salivary gland tumors. Recently, we have published an analysis of the telomere length (TL) in salivary gland tumors. In this paper, we analyzed amplification of the catalytic subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3...

Purpose: To evaluate the results of hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFX) for early glottic cancer. Materials and methods: Eighty-five patients with cT1-2N0M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottis who had undergone HFX, performed using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT, n = 66) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D CRT, n = 19) we...

Background The current study investigated the feasibility of ultrasonographic swallowing examination (USSE) for the evaluation of neopharynx and early detection of neopharyngeal fistula after salvage total laryngectomy. Methods A prospective case series‐based study involving 16 patients who underwent salvage total laryngectomy was conducted. USSE...

Objective To find ultrasonographic landmarks to define the lower limits of neck node levels 2 and 3. Methods Data were collected prospectively between February 2014 and January 2015. In total, 103 patients were recruited (50 men and 53 women), and the mean age was 50.9 years (range: 18–89). At the lower level of the hyoid, we classified ultrasonog...

Background We aimed to investigate the feasibility of diagnosing head and neck schwannomas using core‐needle biopsy (CNB), and to compare this technique to fine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Methods We designed a prospective case series in which 52 FNAC and 29 CNB samples from 48 patients with head and neck schwannoma were analyzed. Patient d...

Objectives Ultrasonography (US) has been considered to have a more limited role in the diagnosis of pyriform sinus fistulas than computed tomography. The aim of this study was to evaluate the US characteristics of pyriform sinus fistulas involving the thyroid gland in an attempt to improve our ability to diagnose this condition using US. Methods B...

Objectives The aim of the study is to identify the following associations: (1) severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR)-related clinical parameters, such as reflux finding score (RFS), reflux symptom index (RSI), and LPR–health-related quality of life (LPR–HRQOL) and (2) complete obstruction on drug-ind...

Objectives: To evaluate the results of oral cavity reconstruction using various types of buccinator myomucosal flap (BMMF) for the treatment of cT2-3 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). Materials and methods: Twenty-two consecutive patients who underwent surgical management for OCSCC and reconstruction using various types of BMMF were e...

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of an anterior extension of the parotid gland, such as an accessory parotid gland (APG) or facial process (FP) and to evaluate its characteristics on computed tomography (CT) scans. We reviewed CT scans of 1,600 parotid glands from 800 patients. An APG on CT was defined as a soft-tissue mass...

Data set of APGs and FPs. (XLSX)

Objectives: We compared the complications and diagnostic adequacy of ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) for head and neck mass lesions between patients who did and did not receive antiplatelet/anticoagulation therapy. Methods: This study was designed as a prospective case study including 146 consecutive patients who underwent US-gui...

Background: The purpose of this study was to present our evaluation of the feasibility of using a retroauricular approach for excision of benign upper neck mass lesions without assistance of an endoscopic or robotic system. Methods: We enrolled 23 patients with benign neck mass lesions of the parotid gland, submandibular gland, and the level II/...

Purpose: Although a retroauricular (RA) approach has been proposed for excision of a second brachial cleft cyst (BCC), no studies have performed a direct comparison of the results of the RA approach and those of the conventional transcervical approach. We evaluated the surgical outcomes of the RA approach under direct vision and demonstrate its be...

Objectives: Somatostatin inhibits lymph production and reduces lymph flow into the lymphatic duct. We hypothesized that octreotide, a long-acting somatostatin analog, would reduce drainage after neck dissection (ND) by reducing the overall lymphatic flow in the neck as well as thoracic duct flow. Methods: From 2012 to 2014, total 123 patients wh...

A combination of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin (FP regimen) is widely used as a standard treatment for head and neck cancer. Recently, capecitabine has received increased attention. We conducted a retrospective study to compare the efficacy and safety of the FP regimen with that of the "XP regimen," which entails concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT)...

Context: Postoperative thyroid hormone replacement for hypothyroidism following hemithyroidectomy is usually administered without fully understanding the clinical characteristics of the condition. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of hypothyroidism following hemithyroidectomy, along with its actual incidence and risk f...

To evaluate the diagnostic utility of ultrasound (US)-guided core-needle biopsy (CNB) (US-CNB) performed by a head and neck surgeon for mass lesions with inconclusive result in previous fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) performed by a surgeon for mass lesions in the thyroid and lymph nodes. Methods: A single surgeon performed 30 office-based ultrasound-guided CNB procedures for mass lesions in the thyroid and lymph nodes that were previously biops...

Aims: To evaluate outcomes in patients with sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) treated with definitive radiotherapy (DRT) and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT). Methods: Between 1990 and 2013, 73 patients with sinonasal SCC were treated with radiotherapy. Fifty-two patients (71.2%) were treated with DRT and 21 (28.8%) were treated with PORT...

Chyle fistula is a relatively rare complication of neck dissection, and there is a lack of consensus regarding its incidence, risk factors, and management. Between 2007 and 2014, a total of 472 cases of neck dissection involving the level IV compartment were included in the study. The incidence, risk factors, and clinical course of chyle fistula we...

To assess the role of [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) as a preoperative diagnostic tool in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). From 2011 to 2014, 197 patients with PTC (246 tumor foci in all) underwent FDG-PET. Among these patients, 46 underwent neck dissection for lateral neck metastasis. Acc...

To evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation (US-EA) performed by a head and neck surgeon in benign cystic thyroid nodules.

To evaluate the feasibility of a modified facelift incision with sternocleidomatoid muscular (SCM) flap as a first-line surgical approach for a parotidectomy by comparison with the modified Blair incision.

Since branchial anomalies are developmental disorders, pyriform sinus fistula (PSF) has been considered as a pediatric disease, and most reports of PSF with clinical symptoms have thus been on neonatal and young children. There are only a few case reports worldwide, of PSF found in adult patients. Here, we report a case where the patient's initial...

Metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma is a rare condition of metastasis from a histologically benign pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary glands. The bones and lungs are the most common metastatic locations for metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma, suggesting hematogenous spread of the primary tumor. However, we observed a case of metastasizing pleomorphic...

Objectives Numerous studies have reported the effects of subclinical hyperthyroidism on the cardiovascular system, osteoporosis, and metabolic syndrome. However, there are few studies examining the relationships between subclinical hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between preoperative su...

Background: Studies of surgeon-performed ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (US-FNAC) have been limited largely to thyroid nodules. This study evaluated the sampling adequacy and diagnostic accuracy of surgeon-performed US-FNAC for a large range of head and neck mass lesions, including lesions of the thyroid, salivary glands, and ly...

Objective To review our 15-year experience with pyriform sinus fistula (PSF) in a single institution for a better understanding of the disease, pertaining especially to symptom onset at different ages. Methods Medical records were reviewed for all 21 PSF patients presenting between 1998 and 2012. Patients were then divided into pediatric (≤15 year...

Schwannoma tumors in esophagus are extremely rare and clinically present as dysphagia in most reported cases. Because of their rarity and need for histopathological confirmation using immunohistochemistry, an erroneous diagnostic and therapeutic approach can be adopted. A 36-year-old woman presented at the hospital with complaints of an anterior ne...

Sialolipoma, a rare tumor of the salivary gland, is a recently described variant of salivary gland lipoma. Oncocytic sialolipoma was first described by Pusiol et al. in 2009. We report the case of an oncocytic sialolipoma of the submandibular gland in a 43-year-old female. Excision of the tumor was performed with preservation of the submandibular g...

Identification and removal of small, non-palpable tumors located within previous surgical scar tissue is challenging and time consuming and may be associated with increased risk in patients with recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The purpose of the present study was to present our surgeon-performed technique and to evaluate the usefulness...

Pathologically confirmed microscopic extrathyroidal extension (ETE) is often identified after hemithyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). Without the presence of microscopic ETE, these patients would be optimal candidates for hemithyroidectomy. The present study aimed at evaluating the clinical impact of microscopic...

Although schwannomas can arise from all types of nerves except the optic and olfactory nerves, those that arise from the ansa cervicalis is extremely rare, with only four cases having been reported worldwide. Because of their rarity, ansa cervicalis schwannomas are rarely considered in patients presenting with schwannomas of the neck region. In the...

Occult multifocal diseases are often identified after hemithyroidectomy in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). There has been considerable debate with regard to whether multifocal diseases actually behave more aggressively compared with unifocal diseases, particularly PTMC. The present study aimed at evaluating the clinical impac...

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound-guided intratumoral indigo carmine injections for intraoperative localization of small head and neck tumors and to introduce our surgeon-performed technique. Methods: In total, 23 patients who had tumors ≤1.5 cm that were not palpable by 2 head and neck surgeons...

Low-grade cribriform cystadenocarcinoma (LGCCC) is a rare salivary gland tumor that was recently defined as a variant of cystadenocarcinoma by the 2005 World Health Orgazniation (WHO) classification system. We report cytologic findings of an unusual case of LGCCC with many psammoma bodies. A 90-year-old man presented a palpable mass on his left par...

To evaluate surgical complications and recurrence patterns after central neck dissection (CND) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A retrospective analysis was performed on 361 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with or without CND for PTC from 2000 to 2007. Clinicopathological results and recurrence were stratified according to treatment...

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy has become the standard of care for advanced head and neck cancers in organ preservation strategies. However, the optimal regimen for concurrent chemoradiotherapy to maximise treatment response and minimise toxicity has not been determined. The purpose of the present clinical study was to review our experience with conc...

Objectives Numerous studies have reported the effects of subclinical hyperthyroidism on the cardiovascular system, osteoporosis, and metabolic syndrome. However, there are few studies examining the relationships between subclinical hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between preoperative su...

The isolated unilateral aplasia of the submandibular gland (SMG) is an extremely rare condition, because most cases of congenital absence of the major salivary glands are associated with other anomalies and several major salivary glands. Worldwide, only 15 cases of isolated unilateral SMG aplasia have been reported. Here, we report a case of a 35-y...

Although neurilemmomas can arise from all types of cranial nerves except the optic and olfactory nerves, a hypoglossal neurilemmoma is extremely rare. Furthermore, since this neurilemmoma usually develops in the intracranial portion of the hypoglossal nerve, a hypoglossal neurilemmoma in the submandibular region is unfamiliar even to head and neck...

Pyriform sinus fistula with 3rd and 4th branchial cleft anomaly is an extremely rare congenital condition that is not very well understood owing to its rarity. The aim of the study was to review our experience with pyriform sinus fistulae to better understand them.

As the prevalence of thyroid carcinoma is rapidly increasing, coexisting subtypes of thyroid carcinomas are often found. However, concurrent papillary and medullary carcinomas in the thyroid gland are extremely rare. We report the case of a 50-year-old man with co-occurrence of multiple papillary and medullary thyroid carcinomas; the latter were un...

The use of somastostatin in chyle fistula that occurs after neck dissection is a new approach that has been reported in few cases. We report two cases of chyle fistula that occurred after neck dissection, which were successfully managed with somatostatin subcutaneous injection. Somatostatin treatment resulted in an immediate reduction of chyle leak...

Although anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) accounts for less than 2% of all thyroid malignancies, it contributes to 14-50% of deaths related to thyroid tumors. However, there is no definite treatment. The aim of the study is to review our experience of ATC at our own university clinic to look for clues for the management of ATC.

The number of patients diagnosed with Kaposi's sarcoma has grown steadily since it was first discovered in 1972 by Moric Kaposi, a Hungarian dermatologist. Kaposi's sarcoma can be classified into four subtypes according to clinical form, epidemiology, and prognosis: idiopathic, endemic or African, immunosuppresion related, and acquired immunodefici...

The aim of this article is to report our experience of inadvertent parathyroidectomy during thyroid surgery and to analyze its associated factors and clinical implications. In addition, we attempted to determined causative factors that result in permanent hypocalcemia after thyroid surgery.

The relationship between Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with regard to their co-occurrence and the effect of concurrent HT on the prognosis of PTC has been debated. The aim of the present study is to determine a clinical relationship between these two disease entities and to evaluate the correlation between concurre...

In recent years, BRAF(V600E) mutation has emerged as a promising prognostic marker for risk stratification of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, routine use of this marker has been questioned. In some parts of the world, particularly in Korea, the incidence of BRAF(V600E) mutation is too high to have true prognostic value. Th...

Thyroid hemiagenesis is an extremely rare congenital abnormality of the thyroid gland, characterized by the absence of one lobe. The true prevalence of this congenital abnormality is uncertain, because the absence of one thyroid lobe usually does not cause clinical symptoms by itself. However, several studies showed that the prevalence of this anom...

Absence of major salivary glands, especially those of occurring unilaterally or secondary to Wharton's duct stone, is a rare disorder, A case of unilateral submandibular gland absence occurring secondary to Wharton's duct stone was presented in a 51-year-old male. Using the ultrasonography (USG) and computerized tomography (CT), the absence of the...

Although a foreign body ingestion is common in infants and young children, serious complication such as penetration of the esophagus is a relatively rare event. Delayed diagnosis may result from lack of classical symptoms and history, leading to serious result, even to death. A 2-year-old boy was admitted to the emergency room with dyspnea. He had...

Therapeutic comprehensive neck dissection has been recommended for the patients with recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) confined to the neck after initial total thyroidectomy. However, the benefit of comprehensive neck dissection to remove asymptomatic metastatic lymph node towards improving clinical recurrences or survival is largely unpr...

Leukoplakia is a clinical term solely designating a white patch or a plaque of the mucosa without considering its histological feature. Leukoplakia ranges microscopically from a hyperplasia to an invasive squamous cell carcinoma. This study attempted to find out the clinical progress and characteristics of leukoplakia in the larynx.

Laser cordectomy has been widely acknowledged to have advantages for the treatment of early glottic carcinoma. This study was performed to assess the results of laser cordectomy for its oncologic safeness, time-effectiveness, and to report a few interesting precancerous cases that have progressed to glottic cancer.

Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in humans and genetic causes are estimated to cause more than 50% of all incidents of congenital hearing loss. To develop an efficient method for a genetic diagnosis of hearing loss, we have developed and validated a genetic hearing loss DNA chip that allows the simultaneous analysis of 7 different m...

Nasal septal perforation is an anatomic defect of the cartilaginous and bone tissues of the nasal septum. Many approaches and techniques to repair nasal septal perforations have been reported on. The purpose of this paper is to report on our surgical technique and the results of the treatment for nasal septal perforations. From May 2001 to March 20...