Reinke Edema: Watch For Vocal Fold Cysts.

Reinke edema is one of the common cause of dysphonia middle-aged population, and severe thickening of vocal folds require surgical treatment. Smoking plays a major role on etiology. Vocal fold cysts are also benign lesions and vocal trauma blamed for acquired cysts. We would like to present 3 cases with vocal fold cyst related with Reinke edema. First case had a subepidermal epidermoid cyst with Reinke edema, which could be easily observed before surgery during laryngostroboscopy. Second case had a mucous retention cyst into the edematous Reinke tissue, which was detected during surgical intervention, and third case had a epidermoid cyst that occurred 2 months after before microlaryngeal operation regarding Reinke edema reduction. These 3 cases revealed that surgical management of Reinke edema needs a careful dissection and close follow-up after surgery for presence of vocal fold cysts.

First-choice treatment in mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea: single-stage, multilevel, temperature-controlled radiofrequency tissue volume reduction or nasal continuous positive airway pressure.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of single-stage, multilevel, temperature-controlled radiofrequency tissue volume reduction (TCRFTVR) for the soft palate and base of the tongue with that of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in primary treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. DESIGN: A prospective nonrandomized clinical study. SETTING: Tertiary care referral center. PATIENTS: Data from 47 patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea treated between January 1, 2003, and October 31, 2006, were reviewed. INTERVENTIONS: Twenty-six patients underwent TCRFTVR and 21 underwent nasal CPAP as a primary treatment modality. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Baseline and 12-month posttreatment measurements using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and polysomnography were compared. RESULTS: The baseline characteristics of the groups were not significantly different. Both methods showed meaningful results for the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and polysomnography variables 12 months after treatment compared with baseline measurements. The results were not significantly different in the posttreatment intergroup comparisons. Treatment success rates were 52.4% for nasal CPAP and 53.8% for TCRFTVR (P = .92). CONCLUSION: Similar comparison results with nasal CPAP in objective and subjective variables make single-stage, multilevel TCRFTVR a good alternative in primary treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

Comparison of radiofrequency tissue volume reduction and submucosal resection with microdebrider in inferior turbinate hypertrophy.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of submucosal temperature-controlled radiofrequency tissue volume reduction (TCRFTVR) and resection with microdebrider (SMRM) in chronic inferior turbinate hypertrophy. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, and single-blinded clinical trial. METHODS: The study group consisted of 30 symptomatic patients who underwent simultaneous TCRFTVR and SMRM for consecutive sides. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and acoustic rhinometry (ARM) were made preoperatively and at 12th week and 6th month postoperatively; saccharine transport time (STT) and ciliary beat frequency (CBF) were performed at 12th week and 6th month postoperatively. The rate of the need for the revision operation was determined between 6 and 12 months period postoperatively. RESULTS: Significant improvement was achieved in VAS scores and ARM measurements after both procedures, whereas both parameters did not differ significantly between two procedures postoperatively. STT and CBF showed no significant post-treatment variation in comparison of the intergroup measurements. The rates of the need for revision operation were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Identical results in objective and subjective parameters were observed for both techniques.