Pathology of the Head and Neck

Contents IXPrefaceThis book was initially conceived as a unitary group ofchapters on “Pathology of the Head and Neck”, to bepublished in German within the series of volumes ofRemmele’s Textbook of Pathology. From the outset, theeditorial approach was to concentrate on pathologicalentities that are either unique to or quite characteristic ofthe head and neck. At the same time, we strove to avoidas much as possible unnecessary details on systemicdiseases that, although involving the head and neckregion, have their main focus of activity in other organs.Thus, “Pathology of the Head and Neck” encompassesthe wide range of diseases encountered in the complexanatomic region extending proximally from the frontalsinuses, orbits, roof of the sphenoidal sinuses and clivusto distally the upper borders of the sternal manubrium,clavicles and first ribs. This includes the eyes, ears , upperaerodigestive tract, salivary glands, dental apparatus,thyroid and parathyroid glands, as well as all theepithelial, fibrous, fatty, muscular, vascular, lymphoid,cartilaginous, osseous and neural tissues or structuresrelated to them.The contents have been divided into ten chapters. Thefirst covers the spectrum of precursor and neoplasticlesions of the squamous epithelium. It is followed bychapters devoted to the nasal cavities and paranasalsinuses, oral cavity, maxillofacial skeleton and teeth,salivary glands, nasopharynx and Waldeyer`s ring,larynx and hypopharynx, ear and temporal bone,neck and neck dissection, as well as eye and ocularadnexa. The pathology of the thyroid and parathyroidglands and lymph nodes is covered in greater detailelsewhere.Since the authors selected for writing the differentchapters are international experts and members of theWorking Group on Head and Neck Pathology of theEuropean Society of Pathology, the chief editors of theseries, Prof. Wolfgang Remmele, Prof. Hans Kreipe andProf. Günter Klöppel, accepted that all manuscriptsshould be in English. After the original texts had beensubmitted, it became clear to the editors and publisherthat, in addition to their translation to fit into Remmele’sTextbook, the work warranted publication in Englishas a separate book. Therefore, we want to thank the chiefeditors and the publisher Springer for their stimulatingsupport and trust. We add our special thanks to the authorswho produced such an excellent work, as well as tothose secretaries, photographers and others who helpedthem.Finally, we should like to express our wish that thisbook on “Pathology of the Head and Neck”, the firstever written as a joint project by a Working Group of theEuropean Society of Pathology, could serve as an examplefor new books written by other Working Groups.Barcelona, SpainNijmegen, The NetherlandsMarch 2006Prof. Antonio CardesaProf. Pieter J. Slootweg