Safety of drainless excision of the submandibular gland / Segurança na excisão da glândula submandibular sem o uso de drenos

Abstract Introduction: Percutaneous drains can be associated with several complications, including infection, fistula formation, discomfort and prolonged hospitalization. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of submandibular gland excision without the use of surgical drains. Methods: We analyzed the surgery time, postoperative complications such as bleeding, facial palsy, seroma, and repeat exploration of wounds and duration of the hospital stay. Excision of the submandibular gland via a transcervical approach was undertaken by two surgeons. Prior to wound closure, the skin flap and wound bed were approximated using hemostatic fibrin glue (Greenplast-Q PFS KIT®, GC Greencross, Youngin, Korea). Neither saline irrigation nor insertion of a percutaneous drain were included. Results: A total of 23 patients underwent submandibular gland excision. The study group consisted of 14 men (60.8%) and 9 women (39.2%) (mean age, 47.6 years; range, 24-70 years). There were two patients who had minor complications. One patient showed minor bleeding on the skin incision line immediately postoperatively, and one developed a seroma at 7 days postoperatively. There were no major surgical complications. Total duration of the surgery from skin incision to closure averaged 44.86 minutes. Mean duration of the hospital stay was 3.17 days. Patients were discharged on average at 1.17 days after surgery. Conclusion: The submandibular gland can be safely excised without the use of a surgical drain, therefore allowing early patient discharge.

Resumo Introdução: Os drenos percutâneos apresentam várias complicações associadas, inclusive infecção, formação de fístulas, desconforto e permanência hospitalar prolongada. Objetivo: Avaliar a segurança da excisão da glândula submandibular sem o uso de drenos cirúrgicos. Método: Analisamos o tempo de cirurgia, as complicações pós-operatórias tais como sangramento, paralisia facial, seroma e necessidade de reexploração de ferida operatória, e a duração da internação hospitalar. A excisão da glândula submandibular por via transcervical foi realizada por dois cirurgiões. Antes do fechamento da incisão, o retalho cutâneo e o leito da ferida operatória foram aproximados utilizando cola hemostática de fibrina (Greenplast-Q PFS KIT®, GC Greencross, Youngin, República da Coréia). Não houve irrigação salina nem uso de dreno percutâneo. Resultados: Foram submetidos 23 pacientes à excisão da glândula submandibular. O grupo de estudo consistiu em 14 homens (60,8%) e 9 mulheres (39,2%) (média de 47,6 anos; variação de 24 a 70). Dois pacientes apresentaram complicações menores. Um paciente apresentou pequeno sangramento na incisão da pele no pós-operatório imediato e um deles teve seroma aos 7 dias de pós-operatório. Não houve complicações cirúrgicas importantes. A duração total da cirurgia, desde a incisão na pele até o fechamento, foi de 44,86 minutos. A duração média da internação hospitalar foi de 3,17 dias. Os pacientes receberam alta em média 1,17 dia após a cirurgia. Conclusão: A glândula submandibular pode ser excisada com segurança sem o uso de dreno cirúrgico, permitindo que o paciente tenha alta hospitalar mais precocemente.

Trends in the Incidence and Treatment of Benign Vocal Fold Lesions in Korea, 2006-2015: A Nationwide Population-based Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and demographics of benign vocal fold lesions (BVFL) and trends in its treatment in Korea based on data collected from the National Health Insurance Service database. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data for patients diagnosed with BVFL (ICM-10 codes J381, J382, J384) from 2006 to 2015 were selected for analysis. Patient characteristics, including sex, age, income, area of residence, and comorbidity, were analyzed. Treatment was divided into surgical management and conservative management using operation codes. RESULTS: The prevalence and incidence of BVFL increased from 7.07% and 5.29%, respectively, in 2006 to 12.47% and 7.98% in 2015. Compared with the non-BVFL population, patients with BVFL were more likely to be female, reside in an urban area, and have gastroesophageal reflux disease. There was no significant change in the incidence of surgical treatment during the study period (around 6000 per year); however, the surgical treatment rate decreased from 19.29% to 8.38%. The probability of undergoing surgical treatment for BVFL was higher in men, those aged 50-59 years, and those in the lowest quartile for income, except for the medical aid group. CONCLUSION: In Korea, there was an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with BVFL and a decrease in the operation rate for this condition between 2006 and 2015. Diagnosis of BVFL varied significantly based on income and sex; however, the only variable affecting the operation rate was patient age.

Safety of drainless excision of the submandibular gland.

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous drains can be associated with several complications, including infection, fistula formation, discomfort and prolonged hospitalization. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of submandibular gland excision without the use of surgical drains. METHODS: We analyzed the surgery time, postoperative complications such as bleeding, facial palsy, seroma, and repeat exploration of wounds and duration of the hospital stay. Excision of the submandibular gland via a transcervical approach was undertaken by two surgeons. Prior to wound closure, the skin flap and wound bed were approximated using hemostatic fibrin glue (Greenplast-Q PFS KIT®, GC Greencross, Youngin, Korea). Neither saline irrigation nor insertion of a percutaneous drain were included. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients underwent submandibular gland excision. The study group consisted of 14 men (60.8%) and 9 women (39.2%) (mean age, 47.6 years; range, 24-70 years). There were two patients who had minor complications. One patient showed minor bleeding on the skin incision line immediately postoperatively, and one developed a seroma at 7 days postoperatively. There were no major surgical complications. Total duration of the surgery from skin incision to closure averaged 44.86minutes. Mean duration of the hospital stay was 3.17 days. Patients were discharged on average at 1.17 days after surgery. CONCLUSION: The submandibular gland can be safely excised without the use of a surgical drain, therefore allowing early patient discharge.

Can an average of thresholds at 2 kHz and 4 kHz substitute for the threshold at 3 kHz in pure tone audiometry? A study based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012.

BACKGROUND: When evaluating hearing disability in medicolegal cases, an average of thresholds at several frequencies is calculated using pure tone audiometry. Occasionally, there are instances in which thresholds at certain frequencies are omitted. One typical example is the threshold at 3 kHz (H3k). The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium (1995) suggested that the average of thresholds at 2 kHz and 4 kHz (H24k) could replace H3k for a comparison of results between studies. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no report in the literature that compares H3k and H24k. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the agreement between H3k and H24k. METHODS: This study is based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2010-2012, which was conducted by the Korean government. A total of 18,472 participants (unweighted) who represented 39,357,497 Koreans (weighted) were included. To verify the agreement of H3k and H24k, a paired t-test, Cohen's d, Pearson's correlation, Cronbach's coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), a Bland-Altman plot, and linear regression analysis were used. RESULTS: The means of H3k and H24k were 16.2 dBHL and 16.6 dBHL, respectively. They were significantly different in a paired t-test (p<0.0001), which resulted from the large sample size. In contrast, the effect size (Cohen's d) was 0.02, which meant that the two groups nearly overlapped. The means showed strong correlation: Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.92, Cronbach's alpha = 0.96, and ICC = 0.92. A strong linear predictive relationship between H3k and H24k was found: y = -0.6821 + 1.0186x, where x = H24k, y = H3k, and p<0.0001. However, the Bland-Altman plot showed large upper and lower limits of agreement (LOA) of 15.0 dBHL and -15.8 dBHL, respectively. Irrespective of age and degree of the four-tone average (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 kHz) hearing loss or thresholds at 2 kHz, 3 kHz, and 4 kHz, the absolute LOAs were greater than 10 dBHL. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a very strong correlation between the two thresholds, H3k and H24k showed clinically large LOAs. Therefore, it would be improper to substitute H24k for H3k in an individual requesting a hearing disability rating. However, since the overall means of the H3k and H24k samples were nearly equal, H24k can replace H3k for a mean comparison of results between studies. This result supports the 1995 Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium guideline.

Comparison of operative mortality and complications between bronchoplastic lobectomy and pneumonectomy in lung cancer patients.

Bronchoplastic lobectomy is a lung-saving procedure indicated for central tumors, for which the alternative is pneumonectomy. We compared operative mortality and complications between bronchoplastic lobectomy and pneumonectomy in lung cancer patients. From March 1993 through December 2005, 1,461 patients were surgically resected for non-small cell lung cancer, including 73 who underwent bronchoplastic lobectomy and 258 who underwent pneumonectomy. Bronchoplastic lobectomy was performed on any lesion that could be completely resected by this technique, whereas pneumonectomy was only performed on lesions that could not be removed by bronchoplastic lobectomy. Operative deaths occurred in 1 of 73 (1.4%) bronchoplastic lobectomy and 26 of 258 (10.1%) pneumonectomy patients (p=0.014). Major complications occurred in 16 of 73 (21.9%) bronchoplastic lobectomy and 58 of 258 (22.5%) pneumonectomy patients (p=1.0). Bronchoplastic lobectomy has a lower risk of operative mortality than pneumonectomy. Although the complication rates were similar, bronchoplastic lobectomy was associated with improved postoperative cardiopulmonary status and a low prevalence of fatal complications after bronchial anastomosis. These findings indicate that bronchoplastic lobectomy is a valuable alternative to pneumonectomy for anatomically appropriate patients, regardless of underlying cardiopulmonary function.